Looks like Sasha's taking a year off | Golden Skate

Looks like Sasha's taking a year off

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
I wonder how hard it would be to come back, even for the 2007-08 season after a planned year off, one that was not due to injuries and being very busy with having a life. Especailly with all the young ones coming up and COP being as is, I have a feeling if Sasha doesn't compete next season, we won't see her as an eligible skater again. Plus, won't Nicks retire? Who would Sasha then turn to in a year?

I remember following 2002, Michelle contemplated taking the season off, but was talked out of it because of how hard it would be to get back to that schedule and in competitive shape/mindset. I think when an athlete takes the season off due to inuries but is still rehabbing, it's a different scenerio than when they take off to attend college, pursure secondary/new careers, etc.

Regardless, sounds like she is still really busy. Although I love CSI (the original in Las Vegas), I cannot stand the two spinoffs, but I may have to tune in. I don't think Sasha in CSI:NY had been reported before!
 
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MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4072254?source=rss

Cohen won't compete in the Grand Prix events this winter, and the world championships in Tokyo next March are probably out, too. She's a bit burned out.

"I've done the same thing every day for 14 years," she said Tuesday from Phoenix, where she stumped for the ice show. "I'd like to take a little time to try other things. Ultimately, what matters is the 2010 Olympics. You have to rest at some point."

She also had a long talk three weeks ago with her wizened coach, John Nicks, about taking a year off. It seems he has been around since the invention of ice, let alone ice skating, and saw how Olympic gold medalists Brian Boitano and Katarina Witt struggled after their breaks.

I didn't know if we could copy whole article, so that is basically, IMO, the "gist" of it!
 

Zuranthium

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Lol, here's the real deal.

When Sasha Cohen dangled her feet off her bungalow toward the turquoise water of French Polynesia, waking at dawn to ice skate for four hours seemed like an ice age ago.

When she blew a line on camera, Don Johnson didn't pull a Miami Vice on her as the international media does every time she falls.

No, Cohen found slipping into the Olympics' first off-year was much easier than slipping on the ice in Turin.

She found a life.

In fact, she is contemplating taking a year off from competition. She will appear with Champions on Ice at the Pepsi Center at 7 p.m. Saturday and at Colorado Springs' World Arena at 3 p.m. Sunday...
Moderator edit: Because of copyright issues, please don't copy and paste newspaper articles in their entirety. Select a representative excerpt instead and summarize the rest.
 
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demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
This does not suprise me at all. A much deserved break.
 

dancindiva03

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Glad to hear she's taking a break. I'm pretty sure she won't come back later. Not so thrilled about her going into acting :disapp: :disapp: :disapp: but at least I can avoid her movies.
 

mememe

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
MKFSfan said:
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4072254?source=rss



I didn't know if we could copy whole article, so that is basically, IMO, the "gist" of it!

I must admit I found the one part about how the "struggles" Boitano and Witt had after their "breaks" were brought up to give Sasha an idea of how hard it would be to come back after a ONE YEAR break.

Witt and Boitano had taken FIVE years "off" (from eligible competition) when they came back (although Boitano had been doing five triple-jump programs with triple axels and triple-triples in pro comps and on tours with theatrical lighting all during that time) and their performances at the Olympics were in many ways better than what Sasha managed at this year's Olympics and worlds. Neither of them fell flat like she did on her lutz in the LP at Olympics -- Boitano's triple axel in his SP in Lillehammer was much like Sasha's triple flip in her Calgary LP program and he had a stumble or two in his long program, but I think he completed six or so triples (including a huge second triple axel he'd been struggling with all year), and it was certainly not as much of a mess as Sasha's Olympic or Worlds LP. Witt didn't fall at all and I think ended up doubling one triple jump -- other than that, she pretty much hit everything in what was probably two programs that had almost the same type of stuff she had in Calgary (it wasn't as difficult as the other LPs, but then, Sasha didn't have any triple-triples scheduled in her program, either, so hers didn't have as much jump content as some of the other programs). If Sasha could "come back" after a one-year break as well as those two did after five-year breaks, it would mean she would likely have at least as good as, if not better, performance than she did in Torino and Calgary. That might leave her out of the medals, as it did Boitano and Witt, but the performance would likely be cleaner than those she came up with this year.
 

Lonewolf

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
MKFSfan said:
I wonder how hard it would be to come back, even for the 2007-08 season after a planned year off, one that was not due to injuries and being very busy with having a life. Especailly with all the young ones coming up and COP being as is, I have a feeling if Sasha doesn't compete next season, we won't see her as an eligible skater again. Plus, won't Nicks retire? Who would Sasha then turn to in a year?


I believe taking a whole year off is a mistake. Sasha, as far as I know, has never really followed Nicks advice. He is right when he said, "I told her it wouldn't be easy…” I can understand not competing in the GP, for it would give her time to practice for Nationals and Worlds. Buy now we may have seen the last of Sasha in completion. I hope I am wrong. I hope she has the drive to begin again after a year off. I guess time will tell.

If Nicks retires, I think she should go back to Robin Wagner.
 

Alsace

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Lonewolf said:
If Nicks retires, I think she should go back to Robin Wagner.

Robin would need to change the way she coaches. A 22-year-old (which Sasha would be by that time) cannot be treated as Robin attempted to teach the younger Sasha.

Maybe it's just me, but I preferred Tarasova's coaching style and definitely her choreography.
 

Lanie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I don't think Sasha has the drive for skating, period. She did when she was younger, but not anymore after all the self-inflicted disappointments and the criticism and yadda yadda. She knows she probably can't come back. She probably won't, she can't compete with Kimmie, Mao, Yu Na. She knows this.
 

Eeyora

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
For the most part, I think it will too difficult for her to just take a year off and then get back into the game. Witt and Boitano did do pro competitions in those five years although they didn't require the the difficulty of eligible skating. They still were practicing. She will still have to train if she doesn't want to loose her jumps and it would require a lot ofr self disipline. Sarah was never able to regain anything beyond a double lutz.
On the other hand, maybe a break is what she needs. Maybe she will discover a new found love for the sport. It would give her time to reflect on what she wants out of life.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I can understand that Sasha needs a break. After all she has been competing in two Olympics already. Earlier skaters that finished on the podium at the Olympics, turned pro after their second Olympics. There are some limits, how long a body can hold out, so to speak. One should turn pro while one still is relatively healthy and can enjoy of skating and bring true enjoyment to the big audiences.

It seems to me unlikely, that Sasha is coming back after this break, but of course I could be wrong, LOL. If she is coming back, she will find it extremely hard to be on track again.
 
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antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
MKFSfan said:
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4072254?source=rss

"She also had a long talk three weeks ago with her wizened coach, John Nicks"

I didn't know if we could copy whole article, so that is basically, IMO, the "gist" of it!

In the bit of the article that MKFSfan quoted there was the sentence in bold above - i wonder if that was a mistkae or whether they really meant to call John Nicks "wizened", i mean he does look a bit whithered and dried out (too much tanning it looks like) but still i'd have expected a newspaper to be a little more respectful!

Ant
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Lonewolf said:
If Nicks retires, I think she should go back to Robin Wagner.

I think that bridge has been well and truly burnt given the bitter and twisted comments that Wagner makes...i might get on Sasha's case for making PR gaffs and silly statements but she's never outright made directly nasty comments and is only 21 - Robin Wagner has no excuse for being so unprofessional and publicly making nasty statements about Sasha.

Ant
 

eleonora.d

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
omg .. I couldn't wait to watch her performances next season.. if this is true, it'd be truly disappointing for her fans..
I don't think it's gonna be wise taking a year off ; her comeback' d be soo hard.
But.. I also think there's a lot of pressure on her right now and too many expectations.. I just think she's tired of all this.
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
mememe said:
I must admit I found the one part about how the "struggles" Boitano and Witt had after their "breaks" were brought up to give Sasha an idea of how hard it would be to come back after a ONE YEAR break.

Witt and Boitano had taken FIVE years "off" (from eligible competition) when they came back (although Boitano had been doing five triple-jump programs with triple axels and triple-triples in pro comps and on tours with theatrical lighting all during that time).

That was my feeling as well. At least they, as well as others who have taken breaks, were still on the ice performing in front of crowds. Nothing can take the place of an actual competition/competitive LP, of course, but skating in pro-comps and on tours is still much closer than acting in front of cameras.

I think Sasha is just leaving that door ajar a bit in case she does want to return to eligible skating. After all, Sarah never officially retired, she swore she'd "Never say GoodBye" and has alluded to a 2010 return. Who thinks THAT will happen???
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Thanks Zuranthium and MKFSfan for the gists of the article. I don't know why my computer wont show this. Anyway

I think how much has Sasha worked at skating for the love of skating? I believe her mother wanted her in sports and skating was safer than gymnastics. Sasha soon learned the glamour associated with figure skating and I believe this is what gave her the impetus to desire gold medals, which would be the ultimate in glamour. However, fate was not kind to her. While the Olys was on a roll for teenyboppers winning the gold medal, Sasha, in 2002, looked liked a shoo in, imo. Irina and Michelle already had their shot at teenybopper gold.

Glamour did come her way with various opportunities in the ad-field, particularly Citizen watches. Sasha gave the Olys one more chance. She skated a first rate program in Torino, was invited to the Oscars, met some VIPs and with her agent she has landed some acting work. Being associated with all those 'stars' of showbiz is glamourous.

Sasha has the glamour of showbiz but does she have it in figure skating? Anything less than gold at 2007 championships would be detrimental to her dreams of figure skating glamour, imo. It would be a risk for her to skate in 2007. I think her sabatical is the correct move at this point in time. I have no idea if she will be back in 2008, but good luck to her for whatever steps she takes in the future.

Joe
 
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