Kwan makes decision. She's out. :(

[visaliakid]

Well I am not ashamed to say "I really thought Michelle wanted to return for one last season... not so much for an Olympic Gold but a 10th national title. I was sad but not terribly upset when the announcement came yesterday. I do feel blessed however that I got to live during her era of skating. It was magical for me no matter others didn't see it! That's their Loss!

The debate over where she ranks in the history of the sport will rage on among those who loved her every edge, spiral, spin and jump. She skated in a vastly different developmental stage of the sport, so to try and compare her to Sonja Henie and the other greats before her is really an apples and oranges thing for me. But there is one undeniable fact that separates Kwan from all other lady skaters (though some will irrationally attempt to deny), and that is...

Kwan performed more consistently, passionately, and with domination of her sport, over a longer span of time; nearly a decade and a half. Her lack of winning an Olympic Gold was more than made up for in what she contributed to the sport; her records, her continually performing under pressure; with grace, beauty and a humble dignity. She wore her heart on her sleeve for all to see. More fans of the sport around the world recognize her name than all the others and most are NOT Kwan detractors.

Some may not have enjoyed her style of skating or the power of her name; that she won so many competitions thus denying many of their favorites that opportunity; or a myriad of other reasons, rational or not. But like it or not, she WAS the face of figure skating from 1996 to 2006. It was a majestic and joyful face for me as I know it was for so many others.

The Kween's reign is over... Long live the Kween!

[Particle Man]

Funny how the article talked about other skaters but made no mention of Sasha coming back this year. Anyway, people were surprised by this? I knew Sasha was coming back and I knew Michelle wasn't, I've said it for years. See what happens when you don't listen to me?

[Ladskater]

Frankly, I never really believed that Michelle would return for one more crack at the Olympics. She has been out of the competitive scene for too long to make one more grab at the Olympic gold ring. I think she made peace with her Olympic standing a long time ago and wants to move on to more interesting challenges and goals in her life. All the best to her.

[stella8h8chang]

I agree with the person above me - I didn't genuinely believe that MK was actually going to come back. She would have risked serious injury getting back into competitive shape after so long and it seems she's a really busy woman with a variety of different interests and goals!

Also, I could be wrong, but didn't she say somewhere (awhile ago) that she didn't like the current scoring system?

[Kwanford Wife]

Just read the announcement over on www.icenetwork.com, though not surprised, I still thought she might just give it another go.

This has me reflecting back on her career, and how very lucky this sport was to have her, Michelle being in it made everybody else a better skater, which I haven't seen since she left. Her competitors knew that they had to do 7 triples to even come close, and if they wanted to win they had to do even better than that...

Michelle was a true champion/gladiator/warhorse/dog soldier, a GIANT in her sport... As always, her mere presence would have pushed her competitors to go all out, to try everything in their arsenal, to make it one for the ages.

Ah, thank you for the memories, Michelle, you made this sport better just by being in it. Couldn't ask for more. Go with God, and enjoy the rest of your life.

Nadine, thank you so much for giving words to my thoughts as I try to let go of the dream of watching her compete one more time... She is all that is good in sports - talent, determination and the ability to do one's best and live with the results without the grousing, crying and whining... a true role model. Love the Kween She is truly the Greatest of All Time... and she will be missed...

I applaud Kwan for her intelligence. Of all the potential returnees her chances were the lowest of all. A comeback from her could have ended in nothing more than disaester. I dont mean that as a knock against Michelle but just too many realistic factors against her:

-She was on a steady decline in the rankings and in the judges eyes it seemed since the 2003 Worlds

So I applaud Kwan for making the intelligent and wise decision, and not chasing after an at this point delusional fantasy of the elusive Olympic Gold (her chances to win gold this time around would have been about on par with say Elena Liashenko in years past if she somehow even made the team). I am already predicting some of the actual returnees will wish they were smarter like Kwan in knowing when their time was up.

Wow... are you seriously serious? This is just bizarre...

Wow, overreaction much? No one EVER said that anyone was "less intelligent".

MK gave no indications whatsoever that she was SERIOUSLY considering a comeback, especially with the acceptance to grad school. So I (and apparently other folks as well) came to the conclusion that she wouldn't be competing. After reading this topic on many forums, I definitely know I wasn't alone in this thinking. Of course her fans would hold out that slimmer of hope even if deep down they expected this news, and hearing it officially truly means it's over, so I can understand their reaction.

Actually, she did and Red Dog I expect better from you... I know you aren't a Kwan fan but don't be so smug that you forget just how slim the chances have just gotten for continued US FREE tv coverage post olympics - not that Kwan would've continued, but her remarkable story, regardless of placement, would've done a lot to inspire little girls' dreams of the big stage and generated enough in ratings at GP events or maybe just ticket sales at regional / sectional events... Who do we have to replace that kind of draw? Alyssa? Rachael? Just yet another way to look at her retirement as a blow to the sport - at least from the US perspective...

Michelle for President!

Thank you Michelle for a decade of excellence and memories... Love Live the Kween

[delobelfan30]

Wow... are you seriously serious? This is just bizarre...

Yes I am 110% serious. I applaud Kwan for making the smart and only logical choice and bowing out. What would be the point for a legend of the sport to return at nearly age 30 to probably finish 4th or 5th at Nationals, of if she were lucky enough to finish 2nd and make the team finish 8th or 9th at the Olympics. Her legacy in the sport is secure, whatever not winning an Olympic Gold or not counts against her to some or is a dissapointment to her is really irrelevant at this point as there would be no point making all that effort and rejigging her life for another year just to chase some fantasical dream at this point.

[Kwanford Wife]

Yes I am 110% serious. I applaud Kwan for making the smart and only logical choice and bowing out. What would be the point for a legend of the sport to return at nearly age 30 to probably finish 4th or 5th at Nationals, of if she were lucky enough to finish 2nd and make the team finish 8th or 9th at the Olympics. Her legacy in the sport is secure, whatever not winning an Olympic Gold or not counts against her to some or is a dissapointment to her is really irrelevant at this point as there would be no point making all that effort and rejigging her life for another year just to chase some fantasical dream at this point.

Ok, let's say you are serious... in terms of Nationals - I don't know about her placement possibility for this year because I haven't seen the programs... however, I did watch Nationals last year and saw a serious lack of podium contenders... Worlds results speak for themselves.

My astonishment at your comment came from the comparison of Kwan to Elena Liashenko... again - seriously?!? Fumie - yes. Irina - yes. Sasha - maybe. But Elena?!? C'mon now... that's a fantastical dream. But we are all entitled to our opinions, I suppose.

Win, lose or draw - it would've been great to see Kwan on the ice. And maybe I'm silly but I will never understand this obsession fans have with determining outcomes prior to the competition. You don't know what will or could happen on Olympic ice. There are no guarntees.

Ask any Kwan or Slute fan...

Anywho - Kwan is an icon and more so than that - she is a very smart young woman with ooddles of ambition - she will always be successful, inspiring, and an excellent role model for other women and girls in sports, business and possibly politics. All Hail the Kween!

[delobelfan30]

Ok, let's say you are serious... in terms of Nationals - I don't know about her placement possibility for this year because I haven't seen the programs... however, I did watch Nationals last year and saw a serious lack of podium contenders... Worlds results speak for themselves.

My astonishment at your comment came from the comparison of Kwan to Elena Liashenko... again - seriously?!? Fumie - yes. Irina - yes. Sasha - maybe. But Elena?!? C'mon now... that's a fantastical dream. But we are all entitled to our opinions, I suppose.

Win, lose or draw - it would've been great to see Kwan on the ice. And maybe I'm silly but I will never understand this obsession fans have with determining outcomes prior to the competition. You don't know what will or could happen on Olympic ice. There are no guarntees.

Ask any Kwan or Slute fan...

Anywho - Kwan is an icon and more so than that - she is a very smart young woman with ooddles of ambition - she will always be successful, inspiring, and an excellent role model for other women and girls in sports, business and possibly politics. All Hail the Kween!

I dont think there is anything the U.S can do right now to have a serious podium contender in the ladies. If the Asians skate to their potential they will probably sweep IMO with Kim and Asada definitely the top 2 if they skate at even 90% of their potential. Rochette and Kostner are there to pick up any pieces that might be left, well Rochette will be anyway.

Kwan is too old and has too many factors working against her as I said. Flatt, Zhang, the current crop are simply not good enough. Cohen is probably the best shot but not a good one at this point, too many factors against her too although she has spent half her major senior career under COP and is 25 with no major injuries, so has a better chance than nearly 30 year old Kwan would.

As for Irina and Fumie since you mention them. Despite that Irina was much stronger than Kwan at the point both were last seen under COP (which in Kwan's case was only one competition experience under it while nursing an obvious hip injury) I think Irina's chances if anything would be even less than Kwan if she returned now. She is 31 years old and did well to squeeze another couple years of top level competitive figure skating out of her ailing body, but maybe lost a race vs time for Turino as it was. Fumie? Fumie is a skater who in her prime could only win a bronze medal if others fell and she skated well (and still sometimes didnt like in Turin) and at this point in her career is able to come 8th at Worlds if she skates well and others fall apart, only even at Worlds if someone bombed at Nationals mind you, and whose clean shorts are outscored by triple toe Lepisto, Flatt with a mistake, and Elene G. with a mistake. I dont think Fumie has a prayer of doing anything in Vancouver, and I doubt she will even make the team.

When I said Elena L. I meant Kwans's chance in 2010 would be about what Elena L's were in 98 or 2002 sort of thing. Not Kwan's in 2010 would be about the same as Elena L's in 2010. Even that was maybe a bit harsh but you get the idea.

[Mathman]

[Irina]...did well to squeeze another couple years of top level competitive figure skating out of her ailing body...

She did indeed! In particular, in her last two competitive seasons Irina managed to squeeze out of her ailing body: first place finishes at 2004 Cup of Russia, 2004 Cup of China, the 2004 Grand Prix Final, 2004-05 Russian Nationals, 2005 Europeans, 3005 World Championship, 2005 Cup of Russia, 2005 Cup of China, and 2006 Europeans, along with silver at the 2005 GP Final and a 2006 Olympic bronze medal.

It’s enough to make anyone a Slutskaya fan, IMHO.

[Tinymavy15]

people were surprised by this? I knew Sasha was coming back and I knew Michelle wasn't, I've said it for years. See what happens when you don't listen to me?

Same here. We are the wise old owls.

Well, seriously. Sasha never really stopped skating. She did not compete in the 06-07 season saying she was taking a year off. She always made known that her goal was to come back for 2010. Michelle on the other hand played it sly as usual. Nobody thought a comeback was really even a possibility to her until about last winter and the guessing game she played with us at worlds.

[ImaginaryPogue]

She did indeed! In particular, in her last two competitive seasons Irina managed to squeeze out of her ailing body: first place finishes at 2004 Cup of Russia, 2004 Cup of China, the 2004 Grand Prix Final, 2004-05 Russian Nationals, 2005 Europeans, 3005 World Championship, 2005 Cup of Russia, 2005 Cup of China, and 2006 Europeans, along with silver at the 2005 GP Final and a 2006 Olympic bronze medal.

It’s enough to make anyone a Slutskaya fan, IMHO.

Heh.

[Mathman]

Heh.

And if Irina can do it at age 1026, why not Michelle?

[nola1122]

I think she made a smart decision. She will be a legend forever.

[jeff goldblum]

I'm very excited for Michelle and agree with whomever it was that said her life may end up being defined more by things yet to come. There is little doubt that anyone will ever forget Michelle's accomplishments in figure skating. Listening to her talk though, she always mentions the more general life lessons one can learn from so many years of a competitive sport. My guess is that with her competitive spirit and determination she's probably the type to master whatever she puts her mind to. I'll be waiting for 2011 when we'll find out where she's going for her Ph.D.

Also, can we speculate where she'll be living when she comes to Tufts? Will she live on campus or will she rent, or perhaps buy, a place in Medford or Somerville? Might she live right in Boston and commute to school? What was her living situation in Denver? I'm eager for some Michelle Kwan sightings here in the near future.

[jeff goldblum]

She did indeed! In particular, in her last two competitive seasons Irina managed to squeeze out of her ailing body: first place finishes at 2004 Cup of Russia, 2004 Cup of China, the 2004 Grand Prix Final, 2004-05 Russian Nationals, 2005 Europeans, 3005 World Championship, 2005 Cup of Russia, 2005 Cup of China, and 2006 Europeans, along with silver at the 2005 GP Final and a 2006 Olympic bronze medal.

It’s enough to make anyone a Slutskaya fan, IMHO.

I wonder what figure skating will look like at the 3005 World Championships...