Who should Sasha have stayed with?

[Joesitz]

In objective terms she _is_ special. Three straight world medals and an olympic medal is an outstanding record. How many gifted skaters never get a single world medal? Again, I think she's lived up to her potential fine, she just hasn't lived up to (her own? other peoples'? hype about her).

ITA, Mafke. Why the discussion comes up so much is because some posters believe there is only one gold medal and that is the OGM. Silly, but that is true.
Alfred Hitchcock never won an Oscar.

Joe

[April]

How easily they forget. TT's Swan Lake got silver at Nats. Wagner's got lst in the QR at Worlds. Those are facts

I can not understand why fans insist that Sasha's problems are because of the coaches and choreographers and not hers personally..

To me, the problem lies not in the coaches but in Sasha herself. Am I the only one to believe this (except Peggy)??

Joe

I agree. Sasha worked with three world class coaches. Going to another coach wouldn't solve her inner "demons". At any rate, she did improve under Tarasova, at least I enjoyed the "The Swan" . I can't think of a Wagner or Nicks program that comes up to "The Swan" standard.

[Joesitz]

I agree. Sasha worked with three world class coaches. Going to another coach wouldn't solve her inner "demons". At any rate, she did improve under Tarasova, at least I enjoyed the "The Swan" . I can't think of a Wagner or Nicks program that comes up to "The Swan" standard.

Does anyone have the Wagner version on tape? I would swear it is identical to the TT original except for the opening.

Much of this thread is not so much about Sasha as it is about the original and edited versions of Swan Lake.

I think the best answer to the topic would be Nicks coaching with TT choreographing.

Joe

[antmanb]

I think Sasha needed the coaching changes to get her where she did.

We will never know how her skating would have gone had she stayed with Nicks and maybe things would have worked out the same but i don't think Sasha would have cleaned up her basic skating and especially her edges had she not worked with Tarasova. I voted for Tarasova because the improvements Sasha showed while under Tarasova, i don't think she's shown under any other coach.

Ant

[Lonewolf]

To me, the problem lies not in the coaches but in Sasha herself.

I guess I am confused. Apparently Sasha’s best season was the 2003-04 season according to Wikipedia. It sounds to me that she changed coaches during this season going from Tatiana Tarasova to Robin Wagner. At least I think that is what happened. Anyway, I guess the combination of these two coaches has some effect on Sasha, for she improved. But after reading what Joe said of Sasha, I have to agree a lot of Sasha’s problems lie with herself.

[CzarinaAnya]

I think the best answer to the topic would be Nicks coaching with TT choreographing.

Joe

That would awesome. I kind of wish Tatiana hadn't gone back to Russia.

[Jaana]

I guess I am confused. Apparently Sasha’s best season was the 2003-04 season according to Wikipedia.

I think that Sasha has had more as great seasons than just that. She has won Olympic silver medal and stood on the podium in three consecutive World competitions (two silver and one bronze). Although she did not win a gold medal in Olympics or World competitions, she definetely is one of the skaters at the very highest top in current time. There are/has been talented skaters that have never stood on the Worlds podium and there has even been World champions participating in several Olympics and never winning a medal of any colour there. Sasha has been "consistent" in both Worlds and Olympics, so to speak.

[Ptichka]

One also needs a coach that is able to fix some parts in that problem. As I mentioned above, Tarasova was a wrong choice, because Sasha needed help in her jumping and not in artistry. I also believe that Sasha needs discipline in her work. If Callaghan managed something with a big problem child like Bobek, I´d expect him manage to do wonders with Sasha.

Well, Kulik did master the quad under Tarasova's direction. I see a lot of similarity between Sasha and Ilya, and I think that was largely the change she was going for.

Having said all that, I do have to say that I think the choice of TT was largely Galina's and not Sasha's.

[R.D.]

oh god. how many times is this all going to be re-hashed? what's happened has happened. she's where she is now, probably going to quit. Doesn't matter how she got there or "what if she stayed with this coach" or etc. jmo

[Joesitz]

oh god. how many times is this all going to be re-hashed? what's happened has happened. she's where she is now, probably going to quit. Doesn't matter how she got there or "what if she stayed with this coach" or etc. jmo

If that's all there is folks, then nighty night. I agree RD, the could's would's and should uvs get tiresome after a while.

The ball is in Sasha's court. Will she hit it? or go on to Thoroughbred Racing?

Personally, I'd like to see her get a World's gold.

Joe

[Jaana]

Well, Kulik did master the quad under Tarasova's direction. I see a lot of similarity between Sasha and Ilya, and I think that was largely the change she was going for.

I would not say that it was Tarasova who tought Ilia the quad. He kind of mastered it before that time, although not doing it in competitions. Besides, I have understood that it was some technical expert that helped Ilia with the quad in 1997-1998 season?

Ilia skated great under Kudriatshev as he won the gold in JWC and EC in season 1994-1995. Also Ilia skated a wonderful faultless freeskate in Centennial on Ice 1996 and won with almost as good performance a silver medal in Worlds 1996. All that happened before Tarasova.

As Ilia started to train under Tarasova he did have a beautiful freeskate but not really suitable for male singles skating. Lots of skating fans called it an ice dance programme where jumps were added. It was practically unskateable, a way too busy programme. Tarasova did not have enough experience with male singles skating in that time. That error was fortunately corrected for the Olympic season´s freeskate programme.

[Ptichka]

Jaana, I chose the word mastered to differentiate it from learned. Yes, he learned the quad before TT, but he mastered it (which involves both physical and psychological readiness) under her.

[chelseamp]

I voted for Nicks, just because I feel like these changes kind of prolonged Sasha's quest to find the problems elsewhere but in herself. I've always thought that the falls were a mental hurdle, and I just wonder if she had had consistencey
would she maybe have worked through it or made more progress than she has with all the changes.

[antmanb]

oh god. how many times is this all going to be re-hashed? what's happened has happened. she's where she is now, probably going to quit. Doesn't matter how she got there or "what if she stayed with this coach" or etc. jmo

Well skip the thread - is there anyone holding a gun to your head forcing you to read?

Ant

[attyfan]

... Again, I think she's lived up to her potential fine, she just hasn't lived up to (her own? other peoples'? hype about her).

IMO, there isn't any skater who could have lived up to the hype about Sasha.