Sasha Cohen quote in IFS

**Dee4707** · 08-21-2003, 11:49 AM

I have decided that Sasha is my favorite female skater so I will be watching her closely this year and I hope for the best for her.

Here are some comments and opinions I have and would like your comments on these:

1. First of all, I think that last year was such a transition period for Sasha and Tatiana. In that regard, I think, that Sasha did an excellent job last year.

2. I guess I don't understand why people keep pointing their fingers at Sasha and commenting on whether she can keep her focus. I have watched many senior lady skaters and none of them always had perfect programs. Why do these comments continue to come up about Sasha's skating. BTW, I, too would like to see her have a flawless program but I haven't seen many others do them either. I really think she is trying to be flawless but what skater really is?

Dee

**berthes ghost** · 08-21-2003, 01:23 PM

"I have watched many senior lady skaters and none of them always had perfect programs. Why do these comments continue to come up about Sasha's skating. BTW, I, too would like to see her have a flawless program but I haven't seen many others do them either. I really think she is trying to be flawless but what skater really is?"

Perhaps you should watch more closely.

Sure, no skater is perfect always, but there are a lot of elite skaters who are perfect often or even sometimes. Sasha is NEVER perfect. By perfect, I mean clean, no falls.

Sure, there are plenty of skaters who fall during every single program too, but they aren't hyped up all over the place as the greatest thing since indoor plumbing.

**mzheng** · 08-21-2003, 02:09 PM

Dee,

I think reasons people point the figer to Sasha for her flaw program is that Sasha she said herself she wants to be the BEST in the world, not just one of the elite senior skater. While with Michelle, Irina and now you may add Soklova, Victoria and some Japanese ladies still competing she HAS TO SKATING CLEAN TO WIN. You are not expecting all of them fault in one competetion (lets say worlds, where most likely they will all be there) to allow Sasha to win with a flawed program.

I like Sasha's skating style too. But I'm a perfectionist myself. Onece she made fall in her program. That proram ruined for me. To me, I don't care how many 3/3, quads, or single triples a skater can landed in his/her program. Only when you can skate clean first, then the 3/3 and Quads come into play. And even with big improvement she made last season on her edges, her basics still can't copare with IS, MK, Fummie, Arakawa, Victoria, etc.

That said, I definitely think she'll come back much improved this season with Tarosava.

SkateFan4Life · 08-21-2003, 03:04 PM

I guess this type of quote will be the focus on the Sasha Cohen Up Close and Personal segment for the upcoming season. "I'm just focusing on me and not worrying about what anybody else does." How many other skaters have said the same thing when they were asked to assess their competitive plans? Let's see - I can think of at least a dozen who have pretty much stated the same thing.

Jill Trenary's standard quote was something like, "I'm skating for myself. I don't even watch the other girls. I can only control what I do, so I don't waste my time worrying about trying to match anybody else, jump for jump." Of course, Jill had to compete against the likes of Midori Ito, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Tonya Harding - skaters who all had strong triple lutz, triple loop, and Ito/Harding - triple axels. Trenary's most difficult jump was a triple flip, and that was pretty shaky at best. Frankly, she should have been a little concerned about what the other women were doing, technically. Oh, well!

Michelle Kwan stated on one UCAP segment, "When I go to practice, I blot out everything. It's just me and the ice. I don't worry about what anybody else is doing."

While I certainly wish Sasha the best, let's not give her credit for original thought. She's just following the crowd with this mindset.
It's a good mindset, mind you, so hopefully it will enable her to skate the kind of brilliant programs she's capable of skating.

**Mathman** · 08-21-2003, 03:27 PM

Dee, here's what I think about your two questions.

1. I think that Sasha had a super year last year. She won 2 Grand Prix events and the Grand Prix Final, and she was definitely in the mix at Worlds, holding her own against the best skaters in the world. Her Worlds qualifying LP was clean and included a triple-triple and seven triples in all.

2. I think the critics are wrong who say that Sasha's problems are due to lack of focus and concertration. I think, on the contrary, that she is very focused during her performances. Instead, I agree with MZheng that the problem is in her basic edge-work and stroking skills.

Sasha is certainly fun to watch. From the ankles up she might be the best skater in the world. But the sport of competitive figure skating is judged from the ankles down.

Mathman

**Dee4707** · 08-21-2003, 06:12 PM

You are not expecting all of them fault in one competetion (lets say worlds, where most likely they will all be there) to allow Sasha to win with a flawed program.

No, I don't expect that at all and I don't think that I really eluded to that either. I just wondered why Sasha's skating is commented on so negatively. Really that was all I was really saying.

From the ankles up she might be the best skater in the world. But the sport of competitive figure skating is judged from the ankles down.

Math, I certainly agree with that.

Dee

**rtureck** · 08-21-2003, 06:26 PM

Originally posted by Mathman
From the ankles up she might be the best skater in the world. But the sport of competitive figure skating is judged from the ankles down.

From ankle up would have to include arm, hand finger choreography? Have you watched Oksana's swan programs from 1994 lately. Talk about wonderful arm, hand and finger choreography.

IMHO, and it is just my opinion, definitely not meant to be negative, I will have to disagree with you that Sasha is the best skater in the world from the ankle up. There are a few elligible skaters who have better arm/ hand/ finger choreography, and equal extension, even if they have less amplitude.

OTOH, I think her speed, and edges are improving.

Off topic, just found a few pictures of the Japanese ladies showing off their new programs for 03 - 04

Fumie has been attending Lori's artistry/ presentation boot camp, look at those fingers:

Miki is paying attention to the arm/ hand / fingers, look at the golden blades, hmm... hope she wears gold in 06

2 more pictures of Ota

http://www.avis.ne.jp/~tkosawa/fig20..._6482_oota.jpg

http://www.avis.ne.jp/~tkosawa/fig20..._6988_oota.jpg

**registered** · 08-22-2003, 12:11 AM

Enjoy viewing the snapshots of a not so good "above the ankles" skater, with weak and not secure edges.

http://www.sashafans.com/media/galle...dushenka-2.jpg

http://kgphotos.com/cgi-bin/RLink/RL...=&SEARCHTERM3=

http://www.jayadeff.com/2002Cohen_2F.jpg

http://www.passionplus.net/JO%20%202...cohen01-01.gif

http://www.sashacohen.com/news.shtml

http://pro.corbis.com/images/waterma...7/PN018449.jpg

http://www.starsstripesandskates.org.../cohen-mw1.jpg

http://www.toeloopy.com/images/event...sc02rc0535.jpg

**Joesitz** · 08-22-2003, 12:31 AM

From looking at some of those Sasha pictures, I'm ok with the fingers. They are simple ballet basics. There are no special stylized fingers such as those of Ota and Suguri.

Joe

**rtureck** · 08-22-2003, 12:54 AM

Picture of a skater who is one of the best above and below the ankles:

Yuka, look at those fingers

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Bookend-C.../0307ex_01.htm

Yuka can do pairs to boot

http://onotch.com/figure/nobeyama2003b.htm

and Mao Asada is the cutest

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Bookend-C...07ex/03mao.jpg

Mai Asada is a classic beauty, and Mao the younger sister is so cute

http://onotch.com/figure/nobeyama2003.htm

Fumie has stylized fingers, grace and attitude in her new programs

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete/3...obeyama/40.jpg

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete/3...obeyama/37.jpg

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete/3...obeyama/38.jpg

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete/3...obeyama/88.jpg

**lavender** · 08-22-2003, 09:20 AM

Just wanted to say that Sasha made this statement before worlds also. After her bad time at Nationals she said that she changed her focus.

**berthes ghost** · 08-22-2003, 09:43 AM

Lavender, I was going to say that, but suddenly got unsure if it was true or not. Sometimes my memory is fuzzy.

For someone who doesn't care about the others, she sure was staring a hole right through Fumie's LP scores. She looked more concerned about them then Fumie did!

**Lucy25** · 08-22-2003, 11:20 AM

I think it is fair to say that Sasha does get quite a bit of criticism for not skating clean, much more than lots of skaters. But I think the reason is two-fold. All the commentators watch her in practice, where apparently she nails her programs. She then goes out to compete and is not clean, often messing up on moves she can do in her sleep. This frustrates the commentators who have built her up to incredible standards to the public and must then save face by criticising her. It is almost as if Sasha has disappointed them for not living up to their expectations. Most of Sasha's programs would be lifetime bests for other skaters, but because she is the hyped "it" girl, she has failed. She is very similar to Michelle Kwan in this way. Like Michelle, Sasha is held to a very different standard, fairly or not.

**lavender** · 08-22-2003, 11:43 AM

Berthes, your memory is correct. Her focusing on the right thing helps but it doesn't guarantee success.

I don't think it's fair (expectation then the criticism) when you don't have anything to do with the hype but Sasha has said some things that hasn't sat well with people. It's especially not fair on Michelle since she has come through more than anyone has (ever). However I think it will take time for Sasha to get stronger with her skills (edges). She will probably get it together. I don't beat her down for falling because I like her skating and a lot of her programs. It just kind of surprises me some of the things she messes up on. For some reason it throws me everytime.