Sasha on Michelle | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Sasha on Michelle

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IcyBallerina

Guest
chuckm said:
True, but most skaters aren't nearly as openly aggressive about it. And most don't make statements that they wish the #1 would retire...

I'd rather Sasha and other skaters were honest about their drive than pretend that they're just thankful for what they've got. That's why post-competition interviews are always so boring!

And didn't she also make a statement saying that now that she was at the other end of the stick, she regretted saying that about the other skaters? Wasn't she 14-16 when she said it anyway?
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
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Mar 15, 2006
From what I recall, Sasha admitted when she was younger, she had wished Michelle would retire and give others a "chance", but now she realizes competition is healthy, longetivity is good. People like to recall parts of statments, much like how Sasha once said,"My goal was to win the Gold and retire like Tara." but like to pretend she didn't add,"Now I realize the journey makes you who you are." (not verbatim, but something like that!) Who knows, she could have very well be thinking,"HA! Now with COP, I can beat Michelle! I wish she could compete so I can win the Big One in her presence!" I personally do not care if Sasha loves, hates, admires, loathes, or is indifferent to Michelle. I also do not care if Sasha says winning over Michelle is a big deal to her, or if she says she wants to win, win, win. Those honest remarks are good and truthful. However, I DO care when her statements seem catty and laced with hidden insults, and for that reason, I rather the PC comments when one speaks about a competitor. I don't think it makes the athlete fake at all, but respectful to their peers and to their sport.

Johnny is brutally honest and at times crosses certain lines BUT when has he really taken slight jabs at his major competitor? IMO, Sasha being honest in her statements regarding Michelle and Johnny being honest in general are two completely different things.

I'm sure losing to a younger US skater on the rise stings quite a bit, but Sasha knew heading into Worlds her mind had been elsewhere and she was physically not ready. I doubt that specific result would lead her to pursue other venues.

And regarding Lambiel: maybe he wasn't compeletely clean, but NOONE was able to challange him for both Worlds wins and Silver at the Olympics. Comparing Lambiel to Sasha is apples and oranges.
 

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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IcyBallerina said:
I'd rather Sasha and other skaters were honest about their drive than pretend that they're just thankful for what they've got. That's why post-competition interviews are always so boring!

And didn't she also make a statement saying that now that she was at the other end of the stick, she regretted saying that about the other skaters? Wasn't she 14-16 when she said it anyway?

Sasha was already 15 when she burst on the scene finishing 2nd at Nationals in 2000. She came out with her "I want to be #1" remark in the fall of 2002, when she was 17. Her remark about wanting Kwan to retire was at least a year or two after that, when she was 18 or 19.
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
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Mar 15, 2006
chuckm said:
Sasha was already 15 when she burst on the scene finishing 2nd at Nationals in 2000. She came out with her "I want to be #1" remark in the fall of 2002, when she was 17. Her remark about wanting Kwan to retire was at least a year or two after that, when she was 18 or 19.

That's taken out of context. I wish I knew where that interview was. She did add that she no longer felt that way and that to be the best, you must beat the best.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Why shouldn't she want to be number 1? All competitive athletes want to be number 1. Heck, one of my best friends is a pianist who used to take part in international competitions, and he says that even for musicians, coming in 2nd is worthless; only winning counts - and he is not a macho type.

If she went around bragging "I AM number 1" it *would* be ugly. But she didn't! And maybe she doesn't win much, but she comes darn close on a highly regular basis. She medals because of her drive. So let's not try to - feminine equivalent of emasculate? - her.

I get very tired of the expectation that these "little girls in pink" (to quote Johnny Weir) are nice, nice, nice all the time. They are brilliant athletes, competitors ("cold blooded killers," he said), and at some point grown women who are allowed to be tough and try to psych out their opponents (like athletes in every other sport) - not just nice role models for little girls all the time.

I don't like Sasha going Hollywood and I think that is a much more significant issue when it comes to her status as a role model.

But she seems like a decent person - charities, family, good student, nice to fans, etc. If it turns out that Hollywood wants her, well, good for her. And frankly, all I want is for her to skate, to do her best ... and if possible, to win! so she can get that monkey (and all the armchair critics) off her back.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Here's the exact quote about Michelle retiring, from a Sports Illustrated article by E. M. Swift, Feb. 10, 2006. It is archived on Sasha's site:

http://www.sashacohen.com/SashaSI.pdf

"A couple of years ago I thought, Why doesn't she retire?" Cohen says of her rival. "Look how many nationals she has. Look how many worlds she's won [five]. Give someone else a turn.

"[Back then] my focus was only on getting first place; I just wanted to win. Now I've learned it's about your own performance and personal best."
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It's a good rationale from Sasha. It explains that her best may not be one of those nights, and that she is no longer out to beat anyone in particular but making herself a better skater, and remaining in the game as long as she wants.

She's very much in an MK state of mind. JMO. All part of the aging process???

Joe
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
anything_for_skating said:
Duh people, start focusing at next season

This thread is not about next season. There are many other threads available if that is what you would like to focus on.

About the whole Sasha/Michelle situation ... I think the hardest thing for Sasha is that she never had that one performance, when people were out of their seats cheering before she even finished ... making no difference which (if any) medal she ended up getting. I think every athlete wants that kind of moment. Michelle has had many of those, and I think that is what Sasha longs for. Not so much that she begrudges what Michelle has done ... or that she wants Michelle out so she can have it. Clearly that was not the case ... as in Nats, the Olys and Worlds this past season. Michelle wasn't even there. I'm sure the questions just add to her frustrations about goals of her own that she was unable to fulfill.
I do feel badly for her.
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
I would be frustrated too if one of the first questions every stupid news person asked me had something that focussed on Michelle. It's a slap in the face to the other person. Sasha's not the only one who gets it, but I can't imagine it making anyone feel good. They aren't comparing her to Michelle, which could be taken as a compliment. The questions always come off as "hey we know you're the boring one and no one really gives a care about you, so lets talk about a topic we know people love: Michelle." Maybe I'm just a stupid immature girl myself, but I can't think of any reason why the question has to be asked every single time the girl sits down to an interview. Considering she sees Michelle only a few times a season as a competitor, why is it being asked every time.

Yes this was about the olympics, and yes Michelle was there, I understand it, but after 6+ years of hearing it, and making her own mark, you'd think they'd give her some credit.

I don't think it was a slap in the face to Michelle for Sasha to reply as she did. The only stale part of the article was the age old Michelle questions lol
 

Piel

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Jul 27, 2003
Well, I think the press knows that a LOT of people want ohear about MK whether it's first hand news or further down the line, LOL. So if Kwan's not there why not ask those who are about her. Gives Sasha face time (and we all know she LOVES that) and throws the viewer a bone about MK (we LOVE that). :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Better to be asked about Kwan than be ignored, IMO.
 

Lanie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Wasn't it Kimmie who said something to the reporters that they're all nice to Michelle but so mean to Sasha?

It doesn't surprise me - Sasha's been in Michelle's shadow and now she's humiliatingly enough in Kimmie's. Just makes me wanna shake her and scream at her to just give it up and go be a B-list movie star already! :p
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Lanie said:
Just makes me wanna shake her and scream at her to just give it up and go be a B-list movie star already! :p
:rofl: I think we have to remember that these Olympic print and TV interviews were done by "once-every-four-years" sports reporters trying to say something remotely interesting to their "once-every-four-years" readers/viewers. They have heard of the name "Michelle Kwan" (although they think she is Kristi Yamaguchi), hence the focus. :)
 

Lanie

On the Ice
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Jul 26, 2003
Mathman said:
:rofl: I think we have to remember that these Olympic print and TV interviews were done by "once-every-four-years" sports reporters trying to say something remotely interesting to their "once-every-four-years" readers/viewers. They have heard of the name "Michelle Kwan" (although they think she is Kristi Yamaguchi), hence the focus. :)

LOL. True. My political science professor called her Nancy Kwan and I had to correct him. "Michelle Kwan. Nancy Kerrigan. Nancy's been out of competition for years." "Why do you care?" "Well for one I'm a figure skater..." "Oh."
 

Piel

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Jul 27, 2003
Lanie said:
Wasn't it Kimmie who said something to the reporters that they're all nice to Michelle but so mean to Sasha?

It doesn't surprise me - Sasha's been in Michelle's shadow and now she's humiliatingly enough in Kimmie's. Just makes me wanna shake her and scream at her to just give it up and go be a B-list movie star already! :p

Are you saying that if the best you can do is be a national champion, and silver world and Olympic medal winner you shouldn't skate?

Being in Kimmie's shadow is nothing to be humiliated about, LOL. After all Kimmie is the world champ. IMO anyone who can finish in the top ten is crazy to quit if they really love skating. Look at Amber Corwin, no titles but I consider her a success as a skater and more impotantly as a person.

Any skater who's goal is to be better than everyone else as opposed to being the best skater they can be is more than likely going to end up disappointed.
 

TangyTart

Spectator
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Jun 23, 2006
Lanie said:
It doesn't surprise me - Sasha's been in Michelle's shadow and now she's humiliatingly enough in Kimmie's. Just makes me wanna shake her and scream at her to just give it up and go be a B-list movie star already!

I don't think Sasha is really in Kimmie's shadow. Even though Kimmie did win worlds she is still not viewed at the same level Sasha is viewed at. I think Kimmie is really going to have to improve her presentation/artistry before she can be considered a top level skater at the same level as Sasha or Michelle. And to be honest I think Kimmie's presentation marks at worlds were highly inflated and she looks like a wooden marionette doing akward movements. Anyways, Sasha obviously would make comments that show that she is competitive and wants to succeed. MK may be a road block but Sasha just wants to show that she is a serious competitor.
 
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