2007 Season Without Kwan/Cohen

[MKFSfan]

I don't really pay much attention to individual men, pairs or dance. I just watch and what I like is what I root for. So...

I'm definitely excited to see what the new faces of ladies skating will bring. I will miss Michelle Vs Irina, plus seeing what Shizuka and Sasha could do (if they all do retire, that is!). Michelle Vs Irina was really something to me, as it was a constant for years. I am another fan very proud of the many wonderful moments Michelle has shared with FS and if this is the end, it's OK. Every season for the better part of 10 years, I've only looked forward to what Michelle would do, what music she chose and what her dress would look like. This season, I'm approaching it very differently! I just wish we could've seen TT's programs for Michelle!

That said, Kimmie Vs Katy, Alissa, Bebe and Emily is something I want to see develop from the get go. I put Kimmie Vs the rest of the US ladies since she is the reining World Champ. and National Silver Medalist. I think heading into this season, there is no clear winner/favorite (although Kimmie does have an edge), so this is the time for any one to lay down their challenge.

I am very interested to see more of Mao, Yu Na, Sarah and Elene and see how our US ladies fare against them.

Then you add the veterans to the mix-for me, it's Joannie, Fumie and Elena.

Oh-and I really hope to see more youtube recordings of Caroline Zhang!

Wow...after reading what I wrote, I'm excited for the new season!

[jesslily]

For US Nationals, without Michelle and Sasha, it certainly will let people feel empty, I don't know if any new face can replace the chrisma and impact of these two ladies. For Worlds, I think it will give Fumie S. Jonnie R. and the two young ladies Yu-Na Kim and Mao Asada more opportunity to show their talent.

Spiral is one of most important elements for ladies' skating. Without a good spiral in ladies' skating is similar to without jumps in man's skating.

[demarinis5]

Thanks for the Kulic link, Jaana. We just may have a more determined Alissa this coming season. With a background of coaches, Kulic and Orsa and a choreograher like Wilson. she should be coming on strong.

Joe

I agree. If Alissa can get her jump technique consistent she will have
the goods to definitely be in the mix with the very talented newbies.

[R.D.]

as far as ladies goes I think the dust has to settle first. GP series will just be more of the same (withdrawals and everything) but it's nationals and worlds that I imagine will feel much different without IS/MK/SC. Personally there's really nothing to look forward to, it's the post olympic year and everyone has to settle down and gear up for another 4-year grind again.

[R.D.]

For US Nationals, without Michelle and Sasha, it certainly will let people feel empty, I don't know if any new face can replace the chrisma and impact of these two ladies.

oh, you bet there will be. It just won't happen right away. You might have to wait another 10-15 years or so.

[hockeyfan228]

oh, you bet there will be. It just won't happen right away. You might have to wait another 10-15 years or so.

Why? There wasn't a big gap between Thomas and Yamaguchi/Harding, Y/H to Kwan, Kwan to Kwan/Cohen and Kwan/Nari Nam. Nikodinov was in and out from the mid-90's until not so long ago. Liang is a firecracker; I think she's worth watching regardless of how she places. Meissner is still a kid, and has plenty of room to grow, and there are new skaters coming up all the time.

[R.D.]

I said MIGHT, not WILL. It could be next year or it could be 20 years from now. I don't think the near future looks dull for US skating, though, unless there's some kind of mass meltdown or something.

[Wolfgang]

Kimmie and the Russian girl Dick Button doesn't like ( name escapes me at the moment, Elena something) will have no trouble keeping me interested.....
Not to mention seeing what sort of weird circus freak concoction Mr. Weir's demented costume designers decide to inflict upon him next.....

[Kasey]

Considering my interest wasn't in either of them anyway, I'll be just as interested as I would be with them in it.

[chuckm]

It's not only Kwan and Cohen who will be missing. Slutskaya and Arakawa will be gone also. US Nationals will be quite different, and so will the Grand Prix, Europeans and Worlds.

[Joesitz]

I'm not overzealous about spirals. A standard good spiral is good enough for me. If the spiral is really so important, then in two years, you will have Caoline Zhang to win all the competitions.

Joe

[Jaana]

I hope so, too, tho IMO it doesn't seem to be as much a technique thing (tho that could certainly be improved) as a MENTAL thing, and Kulik is no psychologist.....

Years ago a short time with Ilia Kulik was really benefitial for a young skater and besides the matter here might have been a bit mental also:

< ......at the Snapple Skate with the Stars a few years ago, Illia Kulik spent about 20 minutes with my granddaughter working on entrance to spins and got her over the hump. Before this, she couldn't spin for anything. She used the off ice spinning gadget, her coach was working with her and nothing seemed to click with her. Then Illia worked with her and managed to pull it all together in that 20 minute session. It made the cost of the whole weekend worth it. At the time, she was not an advanced skater. She was fairly low-level. I don't know if it was his teaching technique or her awe of having an Olympic Gold medal winner showing her how to skate but whatever it was, it worked. >

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...&output=gplain

[Kathy]

Skating without Michelle? well it will never be the same for me. I miss her terribly. I'll watch as a casually interested fan, and be open to another skater snatching my interest, but it was Michelle who elevated my interest in skating from casual observer to someone immersed in the sport, and in her absence my enthusiasm will definitely wane. I think the difference is that there are many fans that are or were fans of figure skating period, and for those skating goes on its way as skaters age and the young ones take over - and I think that is great. But there are many like me who were drawn into figure skating by Michelle, and though I have gained a fondness of the sport through her that will never die, it was her presence that defined my rather obsessive enthusiam over the last several years, and it just won't be there without her. If you had told me 5 years ago that I would be such a fan that I would spend thousands of dollars to fly cross country to watch figure skating events I would have thought you were crazy, but that is what I did to watch Michelle compete. Now I'll watch on TV, it will take someone amazing to raise my interest to that level. That said, there are interesting skaters on the horizon and it will be interesting to see what develops.

[Ladskater]

I am looking forward as always to a new season and to new talent as well as the seasoned vets who are still hanging in there. Of coures, I am really looking forward to seeing the Canadian team as it is building new champions. It always takes awhile for the new team to gel. We are spoiled here in Canada - some great skaters have come and gone, but there is always the new kids on the block waiting their turn! Can't wait!!!

Oh yea, your question - no I will not miss Kwan or Cohen - they are only two skaters of a miriad of skaters.

[attyfan]

Kwan and Cohen will be missed, not merely because of what they bring to the ice, but also for their personalities. I don't think any other skater will be able to duplicate that aspect of their popularity, as there is so much less interest in skating than there used to be that there isn't the same sense of "getting to know them".

What I really am curious about next season is whether the Kwan/Cohen mentions can be restricted to the "fluff", or if Dick (for Michelle) and Peggy (for Sasha) will be comparing all other skaters to their "fave" (unfavorably, of course). I will settle, though, if Peggy stops jinxing skaters.