The Year That Was

hockeyfan228 · May 18, 2006

Having seen the downloads from Japanese Nationals, I don't think it is too much of a stretch that a fix, conscious or uncounscious, was in in placing Onda over Nakano.

It's also my opinion that if Cohen had been injured instead of Kwan, I don't think there would have been equal pressure on her to skate in Torino. She is not the poster girl for the Olympics that Kwan is, literally and figuratively.

Kwanford Wife · May 18, 2006

Mathman & Hockeyfan...

I cannot pull off quoting from two posts, so I'll just say thank you for the insight... I was sitting here staring at the computer going "huh? why would US skaters impact Japan's team?" It never occured to me to think about the whole picture: sports, marketing, medal probablity, fan / media expectations, profit ... and since that's my profession, it would give one the impression that I spend more time on this board than necessary...

Oh well... the olympic season is over. The fall is a long way off. Maybe I will finally get some real work done... :laugh:

R.D. · May 18, 2006

I'll respond to this without reading any of the posts above.

I think I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I like unpredictable results. So therefore, Arakawa winning the Olympics, and especially Kimmie winning worlds, were +'s for me. On the other hand, we all knew Cohen was going to win Nats with Kwan out and Irina was going to win the Euros.

attyfan · May 18, 2006

hockeyfan228 said:
...
It's also my opinion that if Cohen had been injured instead of Kwan, I don't think there would have been equal pressure on her to skate in Torino. She is not the poster girl for the Olympics that Kwan is, literally and figuratively.

IMO, there would have been as much pressure, if not more, if Cohen had been injured. After all, she was the one that medaled at Worlds in Moscow even though she, like Kwan, had not done the GP that season. There is always pressure to send the "highest placed" from the previous Worlds -- especially when they are medalists.

hockeyfan228 · May 18, 2006

attyfan said:
IMO, there would have been as much pressure, if not more, if Cohen had been injured. After all, she was the one that medaled at Worlds in Moscow even though she, like Kwan, had not done the GP that season. There is always pressure to send the "highest placed" from the previous Worlds -- especially when they are medalists.

If you take the results of 2005 Worlds, Kwan had the third-highest scores in the SP and LP. If Cohen hadn't skated, a healthy Kwan would have replaced her as the #2 SP+LP skater, but this time with two CoP-friendly Tarasova programs. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Except for the ten-story posters of Kwan.

Joesitz (RIP) · May 19, 2006

attyfan said:
IMO, there would have been as much pressure, if not more, if Cohen had been injured. After all, she was the one that medaled at Worlds in Moscow even though she, like Kwan, had not done the GP that season. There is always pressure to send the "highest placed" from the previous Worlds -- especially when they are medalists.

and Cohen was the reigning US Champion.

Joe

antmanb · May 19, 2006

Joesitz said:
and Cohen was the reigning US Champion.

Joe

But if she'd been injured (which i think is the hypothetical being discussed) she wouldn't have been able to compete at Nationals.

Ant

Joesitz (RIP) · May 19, 2006

antmanb said:
But if she'd been injured (which i think is the hypothetical being discussed) she wouldn't have been able to compete at Nationals. Ant

True, true!!

I was thinking of the argument that Tara was the underdog going into the 98 Olys because she didn't win the US Nats. Yet, Tara was the world champ going into that same oly.

Joe

antmanb · May 19, 2006

Joesitz said:
True, true!!

I was thinking of the argument that Tara was the underdog going into the 98 Olys because she didn't win the US Nats. Yet, Tara was the world champ going into that same oly.

Joe

I agree though i think there would have been as much pressure (regardless of sponsors) for Cohen to compete and go as there was for Kwan. Both big names for different reasons.

Ant

ildah · May 19, 2006

Most fun "new" things about the past season:

Olympic Ice
The "stare"
Ice Dance splatfest (sorry..)

Jaana · May 20, 2006

The biggest eligible highlight´s from past season were

- Lysacek´s gutsy skating (I have been a fan since Junior Worlds), and I hope that in future he will get more consistent in short programmes. I was very glad for his second World bronze!!!
- Arakawa´s gold medal at the Olympics
- Cohen´s silver medat at the Olympics
- Lambiel´s silver at Olympics and another gold at Worlds
- Some new names:Takahashi, Oda and Preaubert
- Joubert´s short programme at Europeans

waxel · May 20, 2006

The good:
D&V stunning free dance
I&B throw triple axel
Olympic Ice program on USA network
Johnny's SP at Nats (you could literally hear a pin drop in the arena)
Alyssa Czisny at Skate America/Canada

The bad:
Alissa Czisny other competitions
Overall disappointing US Nats
Uninspired music choices
Not getting to see Michelle compete
Plushy's skate-by-number LP "choreography"
Unrelenting Beillmann/catch-foot spins and spirals and ugly CoP-inspired spins

The ugly:
Barbara Fusar-Poli at the Olys
Most Ice Dance costumes (especially G&G)

The beautiful:
John Kerr
Bryce Davison
Craig Buntin
Tomas Verner

Jaana · May 21, 2006

seanibu said:
isn't MK the most decorated Skater of all time.

She is not, not even nationally. Dick Button has two Olympic gold medals and five World golds (internationally there are several men singles skaters who are above Kwan in achievements). Even less Kwan can be seen as the most decorated skater internationally: Henie with her three consecutive Olympic golds and ten consecutive World golds is the most decorated lady skater of all time (so far). Among lady singles skaters also Witt is definetely above Kwan, because Witt has two Olympic gold medals against Kwan having only silver and bronze. Besides Witt is a four-time World champion. Among lady singles skaters Kwan is on place three, which place is also a great achievement for an athlete.

In achievements among females, one must not forget pair skaters and ice dancers. Rodnina has a lot more decorations than Kwan: She won three Olympic golds and ten World golds. Gordeeva with her two Olympic golds and four World golds is above Kwan, the same applies to ice dancer Oksana Gritshuk (two Olympic golds and four World golds).

Mathman · May 21, 2006

By "most decorated" I think they mean, if you took all the skaters and hung all their medals about their necks at the same time, who would be the most weighted down? This is different from "all time best" -- a subjective judgment on which there might be a difference of opinion.

Michelle has won 42 championships. Since no one has 43, by the numbers that makes Michelle "the most decorated skater in U.S. figure skating history," as proudly proclaimed on the USFSA site.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/AthleteBio.asp?id=2267

MM

PS. And this doesn't even count winning the Reader's Choice award (now called the Michelle Kwan trophy) 7 straight times. Not even Ulrich Salchow (10 world championships) can say that!

Joesitz (RIP) · May 21, 2006

Mathman said:
MM

PS. And this doesn't even count winning the Reader's Choice award (now called the Michelle Kwan trophy) 7 straight times. Not even Ulrich Salchow (10 world championships) can say that!

Ahhh. That must be the trophy that Sasha spoke of in her journal entry - the MK trophy. She did win that award?

Joe

Mathman · May 21, 2006

Yes, Sasha won the Michelle Kwan trophy in 2004, jointly with the Haydenettes synchro team. Belbin and Agosto won it in 2005.

This year's winner should be announced in June. Who will it be? Kimmie? Johnny? Evan?

Joesitz (RIP) · May 21, 2006

I kind of think that's obvious.

Mathman · May 21, 2006

Joesitz said:
I kind of think that's obvious.

It is? Remember, this is strictly a popularity contest for subscribers to Skating magazine. It is not (unless the readers decide so) the same as who had the best results. The Haydenettes won by getting out a big vote among synchro fans.

With Evan and Johnny splitting the men's vote, and Sasha and Kimmie the ladies (Michelle is ineligible), I think we should start a champaign for Inoue and Baldwin. :rock:

MM

PS. Hey -- I just noticed that the voting has already begun. I'm going to start a new thread.

Joesitz (RIP) · May 21, 2006

Thanks for the information MM, I wasn't aware of the contest involving the public vote. I thought it was a panel of serious thinkers.

Anyway, Haydenettes got a lot of votes from family and friends. Watch out for the Miami Red Hawks in this year's competition.

Joe

Mathman · May 21, 2006

My loyalties are split between the Crystallettes (Dearborn, Michigan) and Team Elan (Detroit FSC). They finished 3rd and 4th at the 2006 championship in Grand Rapids.

Yeah, the Red Hawks are already there! They upset the Haydenettes this year.

MM

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