Cohen not retiring?

[silverlake22]

Gao looked promising from what I saw at Nationals but IMO she still has aways to go until she can challenge for that top spot. I think it will take her at least two years. No idea who Agnes is. I think you mean Orser though.

Haha yeah Orser. Agnes Zawadski is the Jr. Champion. And for Gao, I think once she looks grown up, her skating will be taken more seriously. She looks a lot like Yuna Kim at 15, but Yuna grew up a lot between 15 and 16, and at 16 people knew she was the best she just had issues in the LP because of her back. I think Gao will probably be on the senior grand prix circuit next season so it will be interesting to see how she competes against the older ladies.

[Tinymavy15]

Sasha certainly has been quiet lately. Any news on if she is planning a comeback in next season?

[blue_idealist]

If she wants to do well next season, she has to go to all the competitions and not withdraw like this past season. She can't expect to show up at Nationals and win or medal with not much competitive experience that season. I think she underestimated the quality of the current American ladies, and thought she might win easily.. but no.

[silverlake22]

Sasha certainly has been quiet lately. Any news on if she is planning a comeback in next season?

I hope not, nationals showed she was seriously past her prime, a shadow of her former self. I felt the same way about Lambiel and Plushenko seeing them at the Olympics. I don't really think Sasha has much of a future in competitive skating, especially if Mao and Yuna continue to stick around which it looks like they will. I mean, Sasha couldn't even beat Ashley, Mirai, and Rachael at nationals so I don't know why she thinks she'll be able to stand a chance against Yuna.

[R.D.]

She clearly didn't have a freeskate prepared. She was in good enough condition to deliver a respectable SP though.

If she delivered her usual "Cohen" freeskate performance instead of what she was able to muster that night, who knows where she might have landed. I figure she'd still have missed the team though just because Rachel and Mirai were that good. Then again, they could have given Nagasu another "suspect" DG to push Cohen onto the team in order to appease NBC, etc.

She's done, IMO, as far as competitive skating goes. I think she'll continue to perform in shows, though. Perhaps if a pro tour is started in Asia she could be a part of that. If I get to meet her again at SOI I should ask her what her plans are.

I mean, Sasha couldn't even beat Ashley, Mirai, and Rachael at nationals so I don't know why she thinks she'll be able to stand a chance against Yuna.

If Mao Asada with THREE FREAKING TRIPLE AXELS couldn't beat Yuna, I don't know who can. Honestly.

[silverlake22]

If Mao Asada with THREE FREAKING TRIPLE AXELS couldn't beat Yuna, I don't know who can. Honestly.

Well, Mao had a few mistakes, but even if she had gone clean, Yuna would have still won by a landslide. I'm thinking maybe some of the Russian wonder babies potentially could beat Yuna if they survive puberty? I mean, Adelina Sotnikova won the Russian title at the age of 12 and last year Polina Shelepen was rattling off 3f-3t-2lo like it was a piece of cake. Liza is now working on triple axels .They can get undeserved PCS like Plushenko and then all the technical difficulty could make it possible.

[R.D.]

I'd imagine Russia is quickly in search of Slutskaya II, especially after what happened in Vancouver. I fully expect a Russian girl to be in the mix come Sochi.

[Tinymavy15]

We probably will have three spots for Worlds next year and if Racheal goes off to college that might be just the motivator Sasha needs to skip SOI and start training.

[rtureck]

If Sasha stays with competitive skating, I doubt she will get the enormous hype she got during her pre Grand Prix, Nationals days this past season. She'll just be another name on the list of entrants. Will she be skating to renew the hype? That is the question.

Getting enormous hype has proven to be enornous pressure for most skaters. Some skaters live up to the hype, e.g. Tara, MK etc, some are unable to live up to the hype. I think having less hype will work to her advantage. But if Sasha wants to continue competitive skating, she should really make a committment to "compete", not just show up at nationals in the oly year. I think Sasha staying competitive is good for the young skaters. Every new athlete should have the experience of actually beating the famous ones of former generations. I think Rachel, Mirari's, and Wagner's win at nationals were more meaningful because they beat Sasha to win the gold ,silver, and bronze

[Joesitz]

^^^^^
and when one thinks of it, how much better was Sasha then Alissa, and Caroline both of whom had bad days and both of whom will not want to repeat those days.

Sasha has a huge fandom but her best competitive days are behind her. jmo.

When I think how much NBC wanted her in the mix for ratings, and she didn't make the mix, I think thats when the NBC/UniSport decided no prime time for Ladies. No?

[silverlake22]

We probably will have three spots for Worlds next year and if Racheal goes off to college that might be just the motivator Sasha needs to skip SOI and start training.

Please, Sasha got a FS score of 104 at NATIONALS, Christina Gao would have beaten her in that portion of the FS had she been clean. Sasha's time has come and gone, it's time for someone else to shine. Kiri Baga reminds me a lot of a mini-Sasha, except with bigger jumps.

And the Russians can't be counted out, most of those little girls train about 40 hours a week! With that much skating they might not end up gaining a lot of weight during puberty anyway - I mean, those girls are INTENSE. They want to be the next Irina badly and are well on their way at the tender ages of 13.

[bibi24]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdG8c2jDksw

OMG Terry Gannon! Great panel! *please replace Tom Hammonds prays*

[John King]

I love Sasha, but being off the ice for 3 years and having to bow out of three competitions due to injury, honey, quit while you're near the top.

[PolymerBob]

I get the impression that Sasha doesn’t really know what she wants to do with her life after skating. I am in the minority here, but I get the same impression from Michelle.

No insult or bashing is intended here, but when a skater is asked what he / she wants to do after skating, none of them ever say they want to lay brick. They rarely come up with a “normal” job that most people do. It’s always fashion, entertainment, acting, commentary, politics, coaching, etc. It’s rarely what we would consider a “normal” job.

There are exceptions of course. Some skaters have gone into engineering, medicine and other more mundane fields.

[Bennett]

SOI seems to be a good one. I do not think that she has a huge market in Asia.

Acting does not seem to have worked for her.

Competitive skating.... Placing off the podium at the Olympics is not too bad. Not making the Olympics after trying is also not too bad.

But placing off the podium at Worlds, or not even being able to make the Worlds team.... these seem like too big sacrifice for someone who can have a successful life in pro skating.

The same goes for Fumie, but these two seem very different ppl.