Countdown to Sasha's Return | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Countdown to Sasha's Return

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
"The injury has persisted" and "if she's able to skate" sounds pretty bad. I mean, this is an US-American newspaper about a US-female skater. Normally it's all "I am just out there to have fun", "I just want to do my best, nothing else matters" - and how often have we read positive-sounding articles about skaters, who withdrew 48 hours later. To me, it doesn't sound good.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
She can't withdraw if she wants to go to Nationals, can she?

Yes she can.
It might not look good but Sasha has a guaranteed spot at Nationals based on being a reigning Olympic medalist.

The GP's were supposed to be Sashas warmups for Natls.

She wanted two and she got two.

But she doesn't have to compete at SA. I don't think it would good for her though when it comes time to select the Olympic team if she bails out of SA.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
It might not look good but Sasha has a guaranteed spot at Nationals based on being a reigning Olympic medalist.

It seems like Meissner should have a guaranteed spot for being a World Champion within the same time period.

Very odd rule.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
It might not look good but Sasha has a guaranteed spot at Nationals based on being a reigning Olympic medalist.
This rule does not fit well with the nature of FS, especially that of the ladies field. Things change very quickly in the field, with younger crops always coming in and senior skaters having only a few years of their prime time. Additionally, ISU rules have changed dramatically in a couple of years. Four years are often one cycle of an era, with the skaters with their accomplishments look into retirement.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Did anyone else notice in a recent clip how Sasha was wildly flapping her arms about as if she had no control over them :biggrin:

I wonder if this is a result of Plushy and Evan's influence? ;)

Seems to me that Sasha's newly discovered skill of arm flapping shows just how serious and determined she is to return.

I hope she is practicing her crying too as that also seems to be the next big thing in CoP competitions :yes:

Now if she can just get her UR's consistent she will be ready to return as the perfect CoP skater!! :laugh:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
This rule does not fit well with the nature of FS, especially that of the ladies field. Things change very quickly in the field, with younger crops always coming in and senior skaters having only a few years of their prime time. Additionally, ISU rules have changed dramatically in a couple of years. Four years are often one cycle of an era, with the skaters with their accomplishments look into retirement.

Well, the only thing she gets out of her medal is that she is allowed to participate at U.S. nationals.

The alternative would be to make her compete in sectionals and regionals, taking a spot from some eager child whose greatest dream is some day to make it to nationals.
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
This rule does not fit well with the nature of FS, especially that of the ladies field. Things change very quickly in the field, with younger crops always coming in and senior skaters having only a few years of their prime time. Additionally, ISU rules have changed dramatically in a couple of years. Four years are often one cycle of an era, with the skaters with their accomplishments look into retirement.

You have good points - but if this was Michelle returning (in the proper time frame) with her bronze medal not as many would be complaining.

Is it the end of the world that Sasha is only a "Silver medalist?"

She deserves some credit even if she did fall and "play Santa" in Torino :laugh:

I seem to recall Miss Kwan sitting down at SLC and that's just the way it goes sometimes.

After seeing the American ladies this season I hope more than ever Sasha will return. If nothing else, simply because her skating is so lovely - but I also suspect she is still better then any of our current ladies.

Sasha please return :love:
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
In a very recent interview, Sasha's coach Arutunian said she was still suffering pain from her tendonitis. There is the definite possibility that Sasha will not be at Skate America, or if she does go, that she will have severe problems with her jumps.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Ten days and no withdrawal. We're almost down to single digits! :yes:

Janetfan, re: her arms, I think she got Morozoved. He's doing one of her programs. I guess if champion-maker Nicolai says flap, she flaps. :cool:

I'm worried about the tendonitis. I don't want to see her hurt herself.
 
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Oscilla

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Janetfan, re: her arms, I think she got Morozoved. He's doing one of her programs. I guess if champion-maker Nicolai says flap, she flaps. :cool:
The flapping Espana Cani was choreographed by Lori Nichol - and is in fact more similar to Evan's programs than to any of Morozov's works this season.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
I seem to recall Miss Kwan sitting down at SLC and that's just the way it goes sometimes.

Her butt never actually touched the ice.

Triple Flip cost her 2 Olympic titles, though.

It's funny...after that mistake at the 2002 Olympics all of her Triple Flips for the next 3 years were perfect. She barely ever made a mistake on that jump in general throughout her career. She messed up on it at 1997 Nationals (her worst performance ever, where everything was going wrong) and she made a small mistake on it at 2000 Worlds in the SP. Otherwise...always fine from what I can remember.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
"The injury has persisted" and "if she's able to skate" sounds pretty bad. I mean, this is an US-American newspaper about a US-female skater. Normally it's all "I am just out there to have fun", "I just want to do my best, nothing else matters" - and how often have we read positive-sounding articles about skaters, who withdrew 48 hours later. To me, it doesn't sound good.

You make a good point - but you must not know Sasha at all. She rarely comes off like most of the other skaters or talks the way you just described.

But your conclusion may unfortunately be correct. Aruntunian seems to be a major jinx as first he ended Michelle's career and now possibly Sasha's ;)

Not to mention what has become of Mao :p





.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
You have good points - but if this was Michelle returning (in the proper time frame) with her bronze medal not as many would be complaining.

Is it the end of the world that Sasha is only a "Silver medalist?"

She deserves some credit even if she did fall and "play Santa" in Torino :laugh:

I seem to recall Miss Kwan sitting down at SLC and that's just the way it goes sometimes.

After seeing the American ladies this season I hope more than ever Sasha will return. If nothing else, simply because her skating is so lovely - but I also suspect she is still better then any of our current ladies.

Sasha please return :love:

I disagree with the rule regardless of whom it is applied to. Four years are simply a too long time ago to give a credit to someone's current skills.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I disagree with the rule regardless of whom it is applied to. Four years are simply a too long time ago to give a credit to someone's current skills.

I was letting someone know what the rule is. My opinion is that it is OK.If as you say, "four years are simply to long....." well we may soon find out if you are right or not .

My point is that to give a returning Olympic medalist a bye to Natls does not really hurt anyone. If the skater performs poorly then I still fail to see how this is hurting anybody.

Somewhere out there is a young skater who might lose a place at Natls. That doesn't make me happy - but I hardly give it a second thought because this skater probably wasn't good enough to do anything at Natls anyway.
I see nothing wrong with honoring our Olympic champions and hope they never change that rule. Besides it offers great stuff to write about and discuss in the off season :yes: :)
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Somewhere out there is a young skater who might lose a place at Natls. That doesn't make me happy - but I hardly give it a second thought because this skater probably wasn't good enough to do anything at Natls anyway.

Byes don't cost anyone a spot. Rules from Sectionals (top 4) and top 5 from previous season still apply.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Byes don't cost anyone a spot. Rules from Sectionals (top 4) and top 5 from previous season still apply.

Thankyou for clearing that up mskater.
That just makes it seem even siller to change the rules to deny a returning Olympic medalist a place at Natls.

I write this just as the rumor from Aunt Joyce's blog is circulating :p
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
I .If as you say, "four years are simply to long....." well we may soon find out if you are right or not
This is off my point. I would not use a single case as a way to prove if a rule is reasonable or not. I am saying that, generally speaking, four years are a very long time in the ladies' skating world. Could a World medalist say bye after four years as well?
 
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