She said this? I don't remember...Every time something slipped, like 2004 Cheesefest she said she couldn't even do a layback
But the problem is that if you keep quiet about the injury, and your performances are gradually getting worse, people get the impression you may be "slacking off" or something. Even worse were her comments after 2005 Worlds...I mean, Cop has been AROUND for a while? Huh?
I don't have a link to the article, but shortly before MK withdrew from SA,.she mentioned that she had been injured and couldn't practice her new (CoP-friendly) spins -- but later said that she did not withdraw because of injury (I don't recall if anyone asked her if the injury-caused training delay meant her program wasn't ready by SA).
In Michelle's case, though, her body had been put through extensive pounding for over ten years before it broke down -- not only in competition, but also in touring (during the "post whack boom", COI sometimes did over 70 shows a season -- in off Oly years). I think this bears on two issues.
First, it might explain MK's failure to fully commit to CoP in 2005 -- she might well have considered retiring after winning her 9th US title (I think she wanted that one pretty badly), and the USFS talked her into going to Worlds because there wasn't anyone else who, combined with Sasha, could secure 3 spots for US ladies in Torino -- after Moscow, MK got fired up and wanted to show she could do better. Her "rush to catch up" wouldn't have been so much of a problem by itself, but when combined with all the earlier pounding, there was trouble. Also, in MK's case, the pounding began when she was 13, and I have heard that stress on the bones of a pre-
pubescent can cause all kinds of problem years later.
Second, I think this shows some problems Sasha might have heading into 2010. While Sasha started competing as a senior at a later age than Michelle, she has been pounding her body for lot less time than Michelle, and has been touring less (since the COI tours are so much shorter). Yet, Sasha has also had a lot of back troubles -- much greater than MK ever had at the same stage in her career.
Last edited by attyfan; 08-12-2006 at 07:16 PM.
Yes, she did make some sort of comment about not being able to do a layback and WD from SA and SC shortly after-understandably so since ladies must do layback spin in SP.
As fas as her comments after Worlds 2005, I think what really did her in and what she may have been hinting at, was not so much levels, but thinking quality would count more than quantity. Like, she chose to do a flying sit spin for her solo, she has a fabulous flying spin and textbook position for the sit spin, BUT obviously she had no COE and no variation, which did her in. Same for the layback-she was hoping speed, centering and many revolutions would keep her in good stead instead of an ugly, slow catchfoot. Basically, she was using what she knew, and what worked under 6.0-relying on presentation and flow to help her through her weaker elements. She also did herself in by not counting her spiral positions long enough, and my guess is that was more timing and relying on music to change positions than not knowing COP. However, the jumps, FW and jusst her basic skating were fine, 6.0 or COP. Yes, her QR was a mess, she overthought and things came undone, but considering she was 3rd in both the SP (and undermarked in PCS, IMO) and LP behind 2 seasoned COPers, I thought she did a decent job, just not a Michelle Kwan calibar job.
yeah...when you are someone like Kwan you get held to your own standard. Compared to everyone else she was fine, I suppose, but it was really sub-par by her standard.
However, she could have AVOIDED or at least MINIMIZED this situation by at least committing to a GP event or two. Even one could have made the difference. But what's done is done.
Unless, of course, she couldn't do one later on. However, I also think that if U.S. Nats had used the Cop system in 05 that could have been beneficial to her (or maybe not so much, like they did MAJOR propping of Cohen's scores in 06 even though she stumbled TWICE- but still deserved the overall win).
For people who can't get the page to load, try turning off your pop-up blocker.
I think the whole issue about Michelle's back preventing her from doing laybacks is whether she could have avoided or minimized the situation. If I recall correctly, once MK opted out of SA and SC, she couldn't get later events. If the whole purpose of doing the GP is to get some idea of whether a specific spin was a level 2 or level 3 (level 4 didn't exist at that time), and you can't do the spin at that time, then doing the GP doesn't help any.Originally Posted by Red Dog
I also think, though, MK's failure to do the GP events had little, if anything, to do with her showing at Worlds -- Sasha also dropped out (she was injured) but she did do well in Moscow. I think that MK's biggest problem was her constant re-doing of her program.
The odd thing is that while it didn't work for me before, it's working for me now...on the same browser, and without restarting.
One also has to keep in mind that Cohen had prior Cop experience, while Kwan had none at all- maybe the advice of some guru, but that's about it, and we know already that "it don't mean nothing" unless you "just do it".
Everything probably caved in at one point for Kwan: injury potential, "constant re-doing of her program", not doing enough competitions (under the Cop), etc.
Actually, the article does not contain much new information about the direction that Sasha's acting and/or skating career might take. She hob-nobbed with celebrities, and she got a part in the horse-riding movie.
Michael Damien was "blown away" by her natural talent (but then, he has a movie to promote), and agents are beating a path to her door.
Well, it's a start. Good for her.
True, the only real comments there were..
I think it's clear Sasha is keeping all her options open, which is wise. Much like with Sarah, it sounds like she is keeping one foot in the door to the skating world, where all her success/fame have been. I think if she does continue with this acting career, we won't see her eligible again, Vancouver 2010 or otherwise. Sarah has been/is doing the same thing. I believe it's partly a comfort thing, it's what they've done their whole lives, and a PR thing, keeps people hanging on.
Michelle may have been giving the same "one day at a time" song and dance for 4 years, but she also has not pursued other interests. Recently, we've been hearing rumblings of college in Denver or UCLA, but all she's been involved in are COI and fullfilling endorsement committments, as well as rehabbing, so she's still eating, sleeping, living skating.
Last edited by MKFSfan; 08-12-2006 at 10:20 PM.
Exactly. Didn't think Hughes was coming back, and don't think Cohen (or Kwan for that matter) will be back.it's what they've done their whole lives, and a PR thing, keeps people hanging on.
back in Feb 2006 around the time where Oly was going on, one of the producer/director/one of those top people came on the LA local news saying that Sasha has talent, and he has no doubt Sasha will be good or maybe he said do well in the hollywood business. i don't remember exactly what he said, but that little comment stick out because it was way before Sasha expressed interest in acting, it was even before sasha got the silver at oly, and the fact the guy said it on the news.
I think we will know more about Sasha's future once COI is complete as well as a well deserved vacation. I believe that once she has had this break, she will have a much clearer direction to follow, whether it is skating, acting or both. In the end, time will tell....
I think Sasha will be closely watching Mao, Ya nu, and Kimmie during the GPs and ask herself if it is worth putting herself to the grind. At the same time the release of that movie, if it brings any sort of acclaim, will also be a decisive factor in her future.
Of course, all this is speculation.
Joe
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