Irina Article In Russian

Joesitz (RIP) · Apr 11, 2006

I see Irina as having the force to win that 2006 Oly gold. She came out of sick bed in 2004 and worked hard to get it. It just didn't work and she is aware of that. However, the 2002 Olys still grates on her. She was the favorite and in her way of thinking should have won that competition. She should not have had to do the 2006 Olys.

I think her behaviour of today is still a reflection of her loss in 2002. She's having difficulty in letting go, and striking out without really thinking. Had she won the 2006 (as the favorite, again) it would have made up for the 2002. It didn't happen.

I can sense how she feels but there is nothing much can be done.

Joe

krenseby · Apr 11, 2006

Re:

Well losing Gold is a devasting thing. In many ways,t hat medal matters that all the world titles and Grand Prix wins put together. I remember watching pre-Olympics commentary on the greatest athletes. The retrospective included Oksana, Tara, and Sarah but excluded Michelle and Irina. Think about the Russian-speaking single ladies skaters- Oksana, Maria, Irina, Elena. The only one that's a household name is Oksana. The gold medal is the ticket for a foreign skater to become an American star and celebrity. The world titles simply don't compare.

Joesitz said:
I see Irina as having the force to win that 2006 Oly gold. She came out of sick bed in 2004 and worked hard to get it. It just didn't work and she is aware of that. However, the 2002 Olys still grates on her. She was the favorite and in her way of thinking should have won that competition. She should not have had to do the 2006 Olys.

I think her behaviour of today is still a reflection of her loss in 2002. She's having difficulty in letting go, and striking out without really thinking. Had she won the 2006 (as the favorite, again) it would have made up for the 2002. It didn't happen.

I can sense how she feels but there is nothing much can be done.

Joe

nymkfan51 · Apr 11, 2006

krenseby said:
Well losing Gold is a devasting thing. In many ways,t hat medal matters that all the world titles and Grand Prix wins put together. I remember watching pre-Olympics commentary on the greatest athletes. The retrospective included Oksana, Tara, and Sarah but excluded Michelle and Irina

The real truth is though, that both Michelle and Irina are individually better than all these OGM. That's the shame of it, IMO. To exclude skaters who's accomplishments far outweigh that of someone who skated perfect on one particular night ... and never again ... is ludicrous. Michelle and Irina have done more and given more to their sport than these other three combined.

flying camel · Apr 11, 2006

So, I guess that smile of hers is phoney as well.

krenseby · Apr 11, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
The real truth is though, that both Michelle and Irina are individually better than all these OGM. That's the shame of it, IMO. To exclude skaters who's accomplishments far outweigh that of someone who skated perfect on one particular night ... and never again ... is ludicrous. Michelle and Irina have done more and given more to their sport than these other three combined.

The only people in the position to really evaluate the positive contributions the non-OGMs have made to the sport are the ones who follow it beyond just tuning in during the Olympics. It does make me mad though that some skaters become enormous celebrities although they contribute to the sport less than others who remain unknown. Case in point: Emily Hughes. She has gotten so much attention pre-Olympics although Kimmie Meissner was the one who had the more consistent jumping and a longer top-3 presence during the Nationals (2 years in a row.) As for Oksana, although I do like her and find her skates very artistic, she has sucked up a lot of the media attention that could go to other accomplished skaters. It's really sad that Oksana's celebrity makes her the more desired skater for cheesefest events than other professional skaters who can still actually do triples.. I think I've gotten the point that as long as you have a Gold Medal, you can go on to lose most of your jumps, spins, footwork, and spirals and still be more respected than those who have kept up their skating. All because you win on that ONE night. Sarah Hughes can barely jump or spin anymore, yet come a figure-skating competition, she is on television offering her commentary.

attyfan · Apr 11, 2006

krenseby said:
Well losing Gold is a devasting thing. In many ways,t hat medal matters that all the world titles and Grand Prix wins put together. I remember watching pre-Olympics commentary on the greatest athletes. The retrospective included Oksana, Tara, and Sarah but excluded Michelle and Irina. Think about the Russian-speaking single ladies skaters- Oksana, Maria, Irina, Elena. The only one that's a household name is Oksana. The gold medal is the ticket for a foreign skater to become an American star and celebrity. The world titles simply don't compare.

If the OGM is the be-all-and-end-all for foreign skaters, how come Kurt Browning gets his own Disson TV special and Alexei Yagudin doesn't?

antmanb · Apr 11, 2006

krenseby said:
Sarah Hughes can barely jump or spin anymore, yet come a figure-skating competition, she is on television offering her commentary.

Come on now isn't that just a slight exageration? I thought Sarah still had all her doubles up through to Axel so i'd hardly describe that as "barely able to jump". I also believ i've read that she still has her gorgeous layback spin so to say that she can barely spin is an overstatement.

And if you think being able to skate at the current elite level is the only thing that qualifies someone to be a commentator than maybe you should go and ask Dick Button to land a triple axel or get off the tv :rolleye:

Ant

nymkfan51 · Apr 11, 2006

attyfan said:
If the OGM is the be-all-and-end-all for foreign skaters, how come Kurt Browning gets his own Disson TV special and Alexei Yagudin doesn't?

My guess is because Kurt has had a very long and successful pro career, and Yagudin hasn't been at it as long. Maybe in several years he will have his own show too.

nymkfan51 · Apr 11, 2006

antmanb said:
Come on now isn't that just a light exageration? I thought Sarah still had all her doubles up through to Axel so i'd hardly describe that as "barely able to jump". I also believ i've read that she still has her gorgeous layback spin so to say that she can barely spin is an overstatement.

And if you think being able to skate at the current elite level is the only thing that qualifies someone to be a commentator than maybe you should go and ask Dick Button to land a triple axel or get off the tv

Ant

I don't think it's an exaggeration at all. When I saw Sarah at SOI, she could barely get off the ground. She was out of shape and not even able to keep up with skaters who had finished their careers many years before she had. And it wasn't just at SOI, either. She got a lot of attention because she was the only OGM to come back to compete after her Olympic victory since Witt, and really was a disgrace, IMO. She wasn't prepaired and really took a spot at '03 Worlds from someone who would have put it to better use. But she still liked all the kudos she got for coming back to compete.

antmanb · Apr 11, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
I don't think it's an exaggeration at all. When I saw Sarah at SOI, she could barely get off the ground. She was out of shape and not even able to keep up with skaters who had finished their careers many years before she had. And it wasn't just at SOI, either. She got a lot of attention because she was the only OGM to come back to compete after her Olympic victory since Witt, and really was a disgrace, IMO. She wasn't prepaired and really took a spot at '03 Worlds from someone who would have put it to better use. But she still liked all the kudos she got for coming back to compete.

Ok well fair enough - i haven't seen her skate since '03 worlds so i can't say how she's skating now only relay what i've heard.

I strongly disagree with the part about sarah skating at '03 worlds - didn't she come something like 6th or 7th? I hardly see how that can be a disgrace - did you think the same of Arakawa at 2005 worlds?

And as to taking someone else's place - as is written so often here - if there was anyone else who could have had that place at worlds, then they should have beaten her at nationals. Who do you think should have replaced her and do you think they could have beaten Sarah's finish at worlds? Do you also think that kwan should have stepped aside years ago and let someone else have the spot she kept taking?

Ant

krenseby · Apr 11, 2006

nymkfan51 said:
I don't think it's an exaggeration at all. When I saw Sarah at SOI, she could barely get off the ground. She was out of shape and not even able to keep up with skaters who had finished their careers many years before she had. And it wasn't just at SOI, either. She got a lot of attention because she was the only OGM to come back to compete after her Olympic victory since Witt, and really was a disgrace, IMO. She wasn't prepaired and really took a spot at '03 Worlds from someone who would have put it to better use. But she still liked all the kudos she got for coming back to compete.

I won't judge Sarah negatively for not doing well at the 2003 World Championships. The Olympic win may have distracted her and made her lose motivation. Since then, she hasn't regained motivation! She should have either quit exhibition skating or trained to regain her skating skills. It's understandable that age makes jumps hard to maintain. That's why it's hard to condemn people who've been away from competitive skating for 6 or 7 years for losing their jumping ability. However, young people like Sarah have no excuse for not maintaining their skills for exhibition skating so soon after their Olympic victory. The irony is though that the Olympic win catapults Sarah in the media's eyes above all the other skaters, professional and amateur, who have worked hard to skate at their very best.

lisadotdash · Apr 11, 2006

Irina

I was not particularly repulsed by it. Everyone has a right to make a living and in hers, she has her mother to take care of. I think she's immature, naiive, yes, but I think they're far more insightful and thoughful than Johnny Weir who goes for the shock, Look at Dorothy Hamill and the People Magazine interview (right after the gold, young, naiive) She was caught off guard, at a bad time as well, and she WON the gold. No, I've never really liked her personality but she's desperately trying to move on.

Mathman · Apr 11, 2006

flutterby1145 said:
For someone that dislikes American culture, American people/audiences and the country in general, she sure does love American money.

In this respect I think she is like, oh, about four billion other people world wide, LOL. Nobody likes America. Everybody likes money.

As for how top Russian skaters, elite coaches, etc., view the whole issue, I don't get all excited over words. They vote with their feet.

MM

R.D. · Apr 11, 2006

antmanb said:
But the question then is - how many people from a COI audience come on figure skating boards to air their opinions and read others? I suspect the majority will continue to watch in ignorance both of who she is and what she has said.

Ant

ITA. Remember that only a small minority of skating fans post here and read these articles. The vast majority will have no idea what she said, and the average COI goer may not even know who she is.

R.D. · Apr 11, 2006

And I don't have an issue with Irina not liking America. She's in good company there. But I DO have an issue with her hypocrisy. Why be all friendly and cheerful to one party only to dump on them elsewhere, thinking they'll never find out? Sounds to me as if she's doing exactly the same thing that she accuses Americans of doing. Go figure

hockeyfan228 · Apr 11, 2006

Sarah Hughes didn't keep up her skills at an exhibition level because she took a year off to go to college, and she skated recreationally rarely and exclusively during that time. Scott Hamilton was the one who hired her in that shape to do Stars on Ice. From what I've read of the practice and travel schedules of SOI, they are condusive to maintaining a specific level, but not to getting into performance shape in the first place. I saw her at the beginning of the tour, but from reviews at the end of the tour, it sounded like she never got there. I thought she looked much better in the "Sarah Hughes and Friends" TV special (from Madison Square Garden?), though I'm not sure from when that broadcast was dated.

Joesitz (RIP) · Apr 11, 2006

Mathman said:
In this respect I think she is like, oh, about four billion other people world wide, LOL. Nobody likes America. Everybody likes money.

As for how top Russian skaters, elite coaches, etc., view the whole issue, I don't get all excited over words. They vote with their feet.MM

How many immigrants come to the US for it's cultural offerings? It's just for the economic advantage, imo. The culture remains from whence they came. However, one can see that their grandchildren do become Americanized.

I still think Irina can speak out whichever way she likes. How it is judged is another matter.

Joe

BronzeisGolden · Apr 11, 2006

Sounds to me as if she's doing exactly the same thing that she accuses Americans of doing. Go figure

I sort of got that feeling as well after reading the entire article. True, this "Say something nice to the face, but wait to tell the truth until the person turns around" is an almost palpable element in many parts of American society. But, as Red Dog says, it seems Irina is guily of doing the same thing....and in this very article. She is only human, and I know this season has been extremely difficult.....but she seems awfully unhappy for the most part on this American tour. If she has moral or ethical doubts or concerns and feels that strongly about them, perhaps she should just boycott COI and skate in European/Japanese shows. AHHH....but there certainly isn't as much money in that.
I like Irina. She is candid without being nasty (most of the time). Yet, I will say that I am so over the "Robbed in SLC" issue that she brings up after a loss. She talks about it like it is a widely accepted opinion and that others don't talk of it much out of courtesy. I don't think she was robbed in SLC. She and Kwan succumbed to Olympic pressure and lost out to the skater that happened to give the performance of a lifetime. Irina was tenative, flat, and her jumps were shaky. I was proud of her after her loss in Turino. I expected a hailstorm of negatively tinged comments in the event of a loss, but I think she handled herself very well in this case. She was visibly disappointed, but she climbed that podium and put on her bravest face. No Arakawa bashing. No Cohen bashing. I was very pleased. I wish her all the best......and, if it is in her heart (and body), I wish her a few more stellar amateur competitions. Maybe even one more classic (healthy) Kwan vs. Slutskaya battle!

kyla2 · Apr 11, 2006

Geesh

Joe, anyone can say whatever they like. But they sure as hell better be prepared for the consequences. As far as the general public not being aware of her comments, that may be true, it also may not be true. It remains to be seen at the COI performances. As for those who took my comment about not wanting her as a friend as an actual fact, get a grip, it was meant figuritively because I feel she is untrustworthy. But I think you knew that, didn't you. I do agree Joe that she hasn't recovered from the 2002 Olympics and somehow blames that on us. She should blame it on the Canadians (but I won't rehash that point). As for the rest of the world not liking us (for those of you who have made this point), who cares? At least they aren't skating in our rinks IN THE USA, pretending to like us, while raking in our money. As for Irina preaching a "screed," that's nonsense. She is stating an opinion. One that I would like her to be accountable for.

hockeyfan228 · Apr 11, 2006

BronzeisGolden said:
No Arakawa bashing.

Except for the part about giving the gold away to Arakawa, because, of course, Arakawa couldn't have beaten her on her own.

Irina Article In Russian

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