Cohen's beauty and polish not appreciated? | Page 9 | Golden Skate

Cohen's beauty and polish not appreciated?

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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United-States
My brother-in-law watches figure skating all the time and Sasha is by far his favorite skater. But he literally cringes every time she takes the ice for the FS at a major championship. He says he knows she is going to fall and the suspense waiting for that moment is unbearable!
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
I had faith (and crossed fingers:laugh: ) in the Sept. (maybe Oct) of 05, she wore pink, looked beautiful and didn't fall - almost touched but didn't. Never underestimate the power of Faith.

I didn't at the Olys - and... But I did in Ira, so I blame RD:rofl: cause he didn't have Faith in Irina:laugh: Just Kidding (J/K) RD. I kind of see you as a Sasha realiest, and I know you love her, even if it appears to some you don't.:laugh:

It is really hard sometimes to have the faith and then, splash. No matter what skater. I think the biggest issue with SC has always been her attitude. Admirable in some aspects yet.... well there is speculation. I think Joe was right when he said "has to fight her own Demons" or something to that effect. She is a classic example IMO of some one who is way to hard on themselves, doesn't allow the "fun" to be a intricate part, and then suffers the result. But that is only speculation.

BTW, a reminder that SC is in my top 5 faves.
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Never underestimate the power of Faith.

I didn't at the Olys - and... But I did in Ira, so I blame RD:rofl: cause he didn't have Faith in Irina:laugh: Just Kidding (J/K) RD. I kind of see you as a Sasha realiest, and I know you love her, even if it appears to some you don't.:laugh:

It is really hard sometimes to have the faith and then, splash. No matter what skater. I think the biggest issue with SC has always been her attitude. Admirable in some aspects yet.... well there is speculation. I think Joe was right when he said "has to fight her own Demons" or something to that effect. She is a classic example IMO of some one who is way to hard on themselves, doesn't allow the "fun" to be a intricate part, and then suffers the result. But that is only speculation.

I agree with most if not all of this... (mainly the part about Irina's meltdown being RD's fault;) )

But in terms of faith ~ I don't have faith in athletes, because they are athletes and should not have that much influence in my life. I only wish them the success they work so hard for (hence my heartbreak over MK's 05/06 season) and with Sasha ~ she just doesn't seem to root for herself. Her off-ice swagger never hits the ice with her and I don't know why that is... All I know is that its such a shame that someone so talented cannot put it down when it counts. And yes, everyone does fall and everyone does fall short of their potential sometimes (I mean is it even logical that either MK nor IS have that OGM?? WHF?!?) but all the time?? Something is off there. As my husband says: even a broke clock is right twice a day...

I sincerely hope she comes back to the competitive scene and dominates. I have no faith (there's that word again...) in the newbies because most will never last... (ala AP) Or I hope she takes Hollywood by storm. But no matter how you rave about her poise and beauty and feel she's the GOAT... the truth is that she has not been able to get outside her head and skate when she needed to.

The problem with Sasha is that all you can do is enjoy the skating because you never got the chance to enjoy the win... And that's not mean, that's sad.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
That's what having faith in someone is all about...:frown2:

I just think that even though you're entitled to your opinion I its not right to just state it like that...She won't read it(I hope) but it's not a very nice thing to say.

Maybe I should have inserted "I venture that" before "she'll never do a clean long". Of course, it is POSSIBLE that a skater can do a clean long. But with some skaters that chance may be higher than with others.

It's not the best way to phrase it, but if one thinks about it there's some truth in it.

I kind of see you as a Sasha realiest, and I know you love her, even if it appears to some you don't

To everyone: It's comments like this I was talking about in the other thread. So...in other words she's fun to discuss as well as many of the other top skaters. But people have a tendency to jump to conclusions based on comments posted on a forum. In other words, I don't know how someone in their right state of mind can pick up that I like Sasha from what I post, that's all. If anyone would like to challenge me on this go ahead.

It almost makes me want to respond to the first quote with "I'd wish Cohen would just DISAPPEAR" but I restrained myself...this time. :laugh:

didn't at the Olys - and... But I did in Ira, so I blame RD cause he didn't have Faith in Irina

:laugh: ok, so I didn't want Irina to win the Olympics. Yes, I was the skate god responsible for her tentativeness in the Free Skating Muahahaha!!!! :rofl:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
The problem with Sasha is that all you can do is enjoy the skating because you never got the chance to enjoy the win... And that's not mean, that's sad.

Sounds like a SashaFan mentality. I mean, if the skater has a good performance so be it. If the skater wins, so be it. If the skater comes really close but blows it, (like Kwan in 02 or Irina in 06) you feel for them but deep down you just say, "Too bad, you had your chance."

Personally, it's not good to see anyone's dream crushed...even if I don't like the skater. It's not so much they didn't win as the look on their face, especially on the podium.
 
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attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Has there ever been a skater with Sasha's degree of competitive success that makes mistakes as consistently as she does?
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
But think about it like this: Skater wins SP (or is in position to win). One may want her to win, or one might be rooting against her. Still, she goes out in the FS looking very nervous. She does a respectable job but makes one costly mistake...which eventually ends up costing her gold.

The skater in question has a very sad look on her face, almost to the point where one can't help but feel what they are going through. It is very sad to see someone not realize their dream, even if you didn't want them to win in the first place because hey, maybe you can relate to that too. But- here's the potentially "mean and callous" part- it's not just the plain fact that they didn't win that provokes the emotion in me. It's seeing their faces afterward.

At the same time, though, at that very moment she held her own fate. She controlled her destiny when she was on that ice, and for some reason or another, she couldn't follow through. This skater had the chance to win, and couldn't quite close the deal. It's not that someone else took it away from her, she took it away from herself. And for that reason, I tend to think, "Oh well, too bad. You had your chance, maybe next time." If that seems mean to other posters, so be it...but that's what I think. I see no need to cover it up in PC comments.

Eventually I take it that once the skater gets past the initial shock of not winning, she takes this mindset as well, and then moves on.
 

hockeyfan228

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Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Has there ever been a skater with Sasha's degree of competitive success that makes mistakes as consistently as she does?
I think this has to be answered from post-1990, as the school figures are difficult to add to the analysis.

But off the top of my head, maybe Harding, who prematurely ended her own career, and Ito, whose competitive results belie her talent, and who made major mistakes at inopportune times. Kerrigan maybe, with a World and two Olympic medals, similar to Cohens two World silvers, a World bronze, and an Olympic silver.

Or to look at it a different way, how many top-notch skaters skate consistently? Kwan, Slutskaya? Who else?
 
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R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
exactly. That's the thing...even our Olympic champ Arakawa had a rough 2005 season.

But for Cohen I'm not even sure it's about being consistent any more. Now it's about just getting through a free program without falling or stumbling. Almost all top skaters I can think of have had at least ONE relatively clean freeskate, either in GP or major competition. Cohen seems to be unique in that despite her success at the top level, she still has yet to do this.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
But how many times do we have to say this before we get bored with our own posts and turn our attention to something else?
 

antmanb

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Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Sounds like a SashaFan mentality. I mean, if the skater has a good performance so be it. If the skater wins, so be it. If the skater comes really close but blows it, (like Kwan in 02 or Irina in 06) you feel for them but deep down you just say, "Too bad, you had your chance."

Personally, it's not good to see anyone's dream crushed...even if I don't like the skater. It's not so much they didn't win as the look on their face, especially on the podium.

And therein lies the problem people have with your posts RD...i know we've had this discussion before but in your attempt to be objective about skating you fail to say a single positive thing about any skater (or seemingly skating itself). You're quick to say someone "blew it" with no sympathy. Earlier on your posting life you threw the term meltdown around for small mistakes and still four years later we await, with baited breath, a truly positive statement from you, not a qualified one, not a simple barely positive statement with a huge BUT... just a positive statement....

Add to that the huge debate of you bieng a "non-fan" of skating many people questioned why on earth you bother with it if you seemingly find nothing positive in in?

Ant
 

antmanb

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Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Has there ever been a skater with Sasha's degree of competitive success that makes mistakes as consistently as she does?


How about someone like Nancy Kerrigan...although i guess she did get her clean program in the end...but maybe Sasha will still get that?

Ant
 

antmanb

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Joined
Feb 5, 2004
But think about it like this: Skater wins SP (or is in position to win). One may want her to win, or one might be rooting against her. Still, she goes out in the FS looking very nervous. She does a respectable job but makes one costly mistake...which eventually ends up costing her gold.

The skater in question has a very sad look on her face, almost to the point where one can't help but feel what they are going through. It is very sad to see someone not realize their dream, even if you didn't want them to win in the first place because hey, maybe you can relate to that too. But- here's the potentially "mean and callous" part- it's not just the plain fact that they didn't win that provokes the emotion in me. It's seeing their faces afterward.

At the same time, though, at that very moment she held her own fate. She controlled her destiny when she was on that ice, and for some reason or another, she couldn't follow through. This skater had the chance to win, and couldn't quite close the deal. It's not that someone else took it away from her, she took it away from herself. And for that reason, I tend to think, "Oh well, too bad. You had your chance, maybe next time." If that seems mean to other posters, so be it...but that's what I think. I see no need to cover it up in PC comments.

Eventually I take it that once the skater gets past the initial shock of not winning, she takes this mindset as well, and then moves on.

RD - how could you miss the point sooooo much???

Its not your second paragraph that's mean and callous...that's the only paragraph that show's some humanity...think of that sad face and the upset and then imagine walking up to the person and saying (now just to help you out - this is the mean and callous thing...to be very clear the thing in quotes!) "To bad, you had your chance".

Could you actually go up to that person and do that? If you could then, honestly i wouldn't think very much of you as a person, much like that idiot reporter who over the years seems to try to just make people cry when they're dissapointed.

And if you think saying those kinds of things is your prerogative, and not saying them is just PC gone mad, that's ok, just don't complain when many people point out that they dislike what you're saying.

Ant
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Sounds like a SashaFan mentality. I mean, if the skater has a good performance so be it. If the skater wins, so be it. If the skater comes really close but blows it, (like Kwan in 02 or Irina in 06) you feel for them but deep down you just say, "Too bad, you had your chance."
I thought Kwan was yesterday's news?. You're still at it! Give us a break and leave Sasha and Michelle alone. It seems you have nothing to add about skating. Just the same old opinion - nothing worth reading.
Joe
 
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Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
But how many times do we have to say this before we get bored with our own posts and turn our attention to something else?

Until the new season begins... All the big dawgs are gone and the newbies haven't given us anything to harp about yet... Its the off season!!! :laugh:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
And therein lies the problem people have with your posts RD...i know we've had this discussion before but in your attempt to be objective about skating you fail to say a single positive thing about any skater (or seemingly skating itself). You're quick to say someone "blew it" with no sympathy. Earlier on your posting life you threw the term meltdown around for small mistakes and still four years later we await, with baited breath, a truly positive statement from you, not a qualified one, not a simple barely positive statement with a huge BUT... just a positive statement....

(if you don't read anything else in this post, just see what's underlined)

I ended that "nonfan debate" a long time ago when I changed my handle. I figure it really is not worth harping about. It's obvious, I think.

I never used the word "meltdown" unless a skater TRULY "melted down". But I have said that a skater has stumbled, messed up, blew it, etc. I'm really tired of defending myself so let me just be honest again- as soon as I realized that people thought I was a fan of a certain skater that's when I "turned it up" a little on the comments. Still stand by every post 100%, but put a little "edge" into the words, if you know what I mean. Still, that's the main reason I've been cutting down on the compliments- Know how many (more) times I'd be picked on? But really, in order to really feel compelled to give a pure, genuine compliment (to a skater) I have to be WOWED...and that's unfortunately something that hasn't happened since 03.

eta: I also think this is a key difference between me and the die-hard FS fan: Since I don't have the technical know-how that many other posters do I really can't praise (or pick apart) skaters as accurately as others so I have to resort to generalities to get my point across.

Here's the thing that somehow confuses the heck out of me, though. "Quick to say someone blew it with no sympathy?" Is FS really a SPORT? How many times do I have to read in newspapers, hear on Sportscenter, or just hear fellow sportfans do just that...in basketball, football, etc.? Now I don't intend to be mean here, I'm just curious as to why there's a difference.
 
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MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Hm, I like to root for the veterans. While I like to see one person dominate a competition from beginning to end, it's also very exciting when someone sneaks in from behind-that shows they have the mentality to be a competitor/champion. I don't think,"Oh, well. You had your chance." when Sasha blows the LP after leading the SP. Maybe I'm not as crushed as she or her fans are, but I do feel bad for her. I was thrilled Shiz won the OG, but sad for Irina, Fumie and Sasha as I think that more likely than not, is the last Olympic Games for them.

Team sports are different. I don't feel sorry for the Red Sox for their current status. If they lose, fine by me!
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think some of you are missing MY point...I'm not saying that I simply just say, "too bad, you had your chance" and then that's that. No, no. What I AM saying is that I do feel bad for the skater in question (and it actually doesn't matter who the skater is), but ULTIMATELY- and often AFTER the competition ends...do I draw the conclusion of, "maybe next time." For skaters like Irina or Michelle, where there'll likely be no next time, it's sad for them and their fans but at least they had the opportunity.
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Well, that makes sense! And I feel the same way about many competitors-too bad, but try again. As long as Michelle competes, I want her to win, regardless of newbies who may catch my eye. I'm disappointed and feel sad for her when she doesn't win.

I think you lost a lot of us with the "she took it away from herself. And for that reason, I tend to think, 'Oh well, too bad. You had your chance, maybe next time.' "comment. But I do agree with this part,"Personally, it's not good to see anyone's dream crushed...even if I don't like the skater. It's not so much they didn't win as the look on their face, especially on the podium."
 
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