Michelle: Will She Return?

[demarinis5]

We don't know if the TBD is for Michelle. I also don't think it is fair to accuse Michelle of using delaying tactics and how it has affected other skaters assignments. It is all speculation and supposition at this point.

I expect Michelle will enter Grad School in Sept. If she does not then I will
consider that she might attempt a comeback. As far as Michelle joining SOI to tour don't hold your breath, she has gone that route for years with COI. We know that Michelle is training but we don't know what for. She just might want to see what her body can do and has no plans to compete at all.

Of course if she comes back I will be cheering very loudly for her, Sasha, S/Z and Plushenko.

[Tinymavy15]

The chances of her winning olympic gold are very small. She was never sucessful enough under CoP to make her case. I think if she was really serious about coming back she would have said something more defininte by now. She would have to be training with a coach and if she has any intent on doing the GP, (which is pretty much a must for some one with as little exposure as Michelle to the new system) she would have had to tell ISU by now.

I would love to see her return, but I don't see it happening.

[visaliakid]

I think you misunderstood what I wrote. I am saying, the younger skaters have dreams, too, and I hope Michelle steps aside and gives them their day in the spotlight.

I respectfully have to disagree Mathman... in competition no one should willingly or be forced to step aside for anyone, their peers or "the kiddies!" If you are eligible by the rules, then everyone should have a shot. I totally disagree with the philosophy that Michelle, or Pluschenko or Shen and Zhao are taking someone elses spot by returning to competition. Spots belong to no one. They must be earned thru competition.

Return Michelle, and leave the others panting in your wake!

[feraina]

We don't know if the TBD is for Michelle. I also don't think it is fair to accuse Michelle of using delaying tactics and how it has affected other skaters assignments. It is all speculation and supposition at this point.

What we know for sure is that SA did invite Michelle, and she didn't rule it out (at least according to Phil Hersh in early May). Honestly, it's hard for me to imagine SA not inviting Caroline, the top US scorer last season (5th SB, and the season before too, 6th SB), AND not inviting Alissa, the reigning US champion, UNLESS it is Michelle that they're hoping to return and claim that TBD.

[Particle Man]

I'm not certain that judging will be fair, especially at National's, when it comes to deciding the Olympic team. What if Michelle gets gifted relative to the other skaters, as Alissa was last year.

I would submit that if indeed they intentionally "gifted" Alissa at last nationals, they may have learned their lesson... very painfully.

The other issue is that Michelle's delaying her decision has now significantly affected the GP assignments, by making the third SA spot TBA...Now even if Michelle decided not to compete, Caroline is still stuck with her lot. I think it's really uncool that Michelle is delaying her decision so much that it's affecting other people's Olympic season. And you know what, probably in the end Michelle won't come back anyway.

Very interesting point, IF the TBA is because of Michelle. I think that could be part of it, but not all of it. But regardless, I don't think they would have put Sasha, Rachael and Caroline all at Skate America. I mean, if they care about maximizing points for the GPF, then only Rachael OR Caroline would have been assigned SA after Sasha. So why was Rachael assigned there instead of Caroline? I don't know, but it's certainly not Michelle's fault. I really expected the assignment to be Sasha, Caroline and Alissa. Sasha because she's the biggest star we have, Caroline because she's one of our 2 top ladies other than Sasha and because she got 3 standing ovations at SA 2007, and Alissa because she is National champion (and likely wouldn't affect the other two ladies' points.) IMO, the TBA bumped Alissa from SA, not Caroline.

Anyway, I do agree that Caroline has been shafted repeatedly. However, I doubt her GP assignments will hurt her chances of going to the Olympics. Tougher competition gives her more of an opportunity to prove herself by beating them. If USFSA is stupid enough to base Olympic spots on GP medals regardless of the competition that was present, then they are hopeless anyway.

(humorous anecdote - as a little kid looking through the TV guide, I always wondered what kind of show "To Be Announced" was, and why it was on at such random times. )

[Joesitz]

Michelle has never been open about her competitive plans or her hip problem. I believe the hip problem started just before Nagano and was kept painless with pain killers. She was able to do her complete triple programs but her 3x3 began to disappear as well as certain triples through the years. Her spins were never something to write home about, but her flow and poise over the ice was such that no other skater could compare. By Dortmund and Moscow, she was leaving out jumps which were not at all difficult 5 years earlier. The hip was at its worst. She did fine with her personal magic on the ice but then came the CoP and together with the bad hip, what was the point of Torino?

Would she want to prove something in Vancouver? I don't think so.
S&Z do want to prove something about gold.
Plush wants to show that he really is the best skater and make up for the lack luster of 2006
Sasha, I see as a famous wannabee, and acting is not easy.

Good luck to all the Returnees.

[Mathman]

I really expected the assignment to be Sasha, Caroline and Alissa.

I think the only selection that was a foregone conclusion was Rachael. Skate America had to take a seeded skater from 4-6, so it was either Rachael (the natural choice) or Mao Asada (which would have killed any American girl's chances, Yuna Kim having also been selected) or Laura Lepisto.

I thought it would be Alissa, Rachael and Caroline, until Sasha and TBA jumped in.

[Nadine]

My honest opinion ~ I never really thought she would return ~ but after reading a bunch of threads this past year, it changed my original gut instinct, and so I thought "maybe". I really don't think Michelle even knows.

That said, once she gets a modicum of her triples back consistently, I can see her being the new headliner of Stars On Ice, or else headlining her own show, which would befit her nicely. Scott Hamilton did it, so did Brian Boitano, as well as Katarina Witt, even earning an Emmy.

[heyang]

I'd love to see a Michelle Kwan return in any capacity.

After all, if Katerina Witt, Elaine Zayak, Brian Boitano, Gordeeva/Grinkov, Mishktunv(sorry, butchered it)/Dmitriev, and Torvill/Dean all had relatively succesful returns to Nationals (although not all Olympic), then why shouldn't Michelle have a chance? It's totally up to her.

I will say that it certainly would help the sport in the US more than any other skater's return at this time. She's still likely the most recognized name in US figure skating at this time. I'm sure you could find people out there who still thinks that she skates.

[Ginask8s]

My honest opinion ~ I never really thought she would return ~ but after reading a bunch of threads this past year, it changed my original gut instinct, and so I thought "maybe". I really don't think Michelle even knows.

That said, once she gets a modicum of her triples back consistently, I can see her being the new headliner of Stars On Ice, or else headlining her own show, which would befit her nicely. Scott Hamilton did it, so did Brian Boitano, as well as Katarina Witt, even earning an Emmy.

I remember reading that Michelle really did not enjoy shows. She liked to compete .

[greengal5874]

A lot of you are forgetting something- There's a reason that Michelle Kwan is a legend. Obviously she is HIGHLY competitive- look at her decade at the top. Yes, she had a hip injury. Yes, it was repaired. She did not leave on her terms & you better believe that if the Kween returns to competition, she WILL be prepared.

Kwan is SMART & she was at worlds & believe you & me- she would not even entertain a return to competition unless it was to WIN. She always skated to win in the past, and this time is no different. I am sure she does not have any grandiose ideas of her abilities in comparision to Mao/Yuna. If the Kween is back- its to win

On the other hand, I would be thrilled for her to return in any capacity, just to see her skate again. But I feel she has infinished business. /I][/FONT]



(ps- sorry about the underlining, I tried to do just one word, but it kept going crazy)

[Mathman]

(ps- sorry about the underlining, I tried to do just one word, but it kept going crazy)

I don't know why that happens once in a while. The HTML commands get all confused. Sometimes you just have to close your browser and start over.

[Nadine]

I remember reading that Michelle really did not enjoy shows. She liked to compete .

True, but things change, minds change, what didn't look desireable before, may feel differently years later...

That said, if she did come back, it would be amazing. And if she did win Nationals, or at least make the Olympic Team, it would be one for the ages. And if she actually medalled at the Olympics, that would be the greatest comeback in Olympic History, period. Legend doesn't even come close to that type of scenario.

All this has me reminiscing about Michelle and what she said just prior to the 1998 Olympics, about possibly medalling at three Olympics (mayhap even tieing Sonja Henie, as implied by the press), wanting to be a legend. Years later, the skate gods just might make that possible, though not in the way originally imagined. Anything's possible, never give up hope.

[antmanb]

This is what I think. I do not particularly admire adults who try to extend their adolescence by continuing to devote themselves to children's games after they are grown up.

Hey MM, don't let the adults who are training hard for adult nationals hear you, or the adults who are competing in Oberstdorf, or it might "take them weeks to count the blade marks up your back"

Ant

[mskater93]

Hey MM, don't let the adults who are training hard for adult nationals hear you, or the adults who are competing in Oberstdorf, or it might "take them weeks to count the blade marks up your back"

Ant

You got that right, Ant! I work my BUTT off to go to Adult Sectionals and Nationals every year with nothing in it for me but personal glory.