agnes zawadzki reminds me of Tonya Harding
- Thread starter ks777
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- Oct 19, 2009
In the eyes of a child...
...(in my eyes as a child) there was nothing "bad girl" about Tonya Harding on the ice. I liked Nancy Kerrigan just fine, but I favoured Tonya because when she was on, there was this unfettered delight to her skating. Ignorance was bliss, I guess, never knowing about the off-ice antics and drama. I did hear about the whack, though.
hwell:
I like Agnes. She does seem different. She does not remind me of anyone.
...(in my eyes as a child) there was nothing "bad girl" about Tonya Harding on the ice. I liked Nancy Kerrigan just fine, but I favoured Tonya because when she was on, there was this unfettered delight to her skating. Ignorance was bliss, I guess, never knowing about the off-ice antics and drama. I did hear about the whack, though.
hwell:I like Agnes. She does seem different. She does not remind me of anyone.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Good observation! I get so tired of looking at lady skaters who do their tricks (sometimes with music) but ALL looking the same. I guess the sport for ladies is based on skating clean only. There are no Cohen, Kwan, Bielman's to make the competition interesting.
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- Mar 14, 2006
Yes. That's exactly what I see in her. Thanks for expressing it so well! (And nice to have you posting here!)
That's the first I ever heard about Michelle's family being well-off! Michelle received funding from various sources. (I'm trying to remember the person who recently died who had provided funding to her) Her parents income was not enough, even assuming they had two jobs.
Agnes may also be receiving private funding for her coaching, etc., especially since she has had success at the National and International level.
ETA: It was George Steinbrenner. He gave her $10,000 when she was just 13 years old.
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- Aug 15, 2003
...(in my eyes as a child) there was nothing "bad girl" about Tonya Harding on the ice. I liked Nancy Kerrigan just fine, but I favoured Tonya because when she was on, there was this unfettered delight to her skating. Ignorance was bliss, I guess, never knowing about the off-ice antics and drama. I did hear about the whack, though.
I like Agnes. She does seem different. She does not remind me of anyone.
well I guess you were too young to remember perhaps. I don't know anyone who skated to music like " people are still having sex" other than Tonya.
1992 sp "people are still having sex"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5GFw42p5vM
Thanks for the input, this tells me that as long as one shows talent they will have sponsors/patrons, which is a good thing!
It allows a child who may be better than everyone else to participate & prove it, rather than just the ones that can afford it whose ability may only be mediocre. It gives all kids a fair shot, now they just need to take it, but unfortunately I bet there are children who never get that chance because their parents think it is only for the wealthy. There need to be more outreach programs imho, spotting natural innate talent by offering free tryouts, like there are talent scouts that go around the country looking for models. Jmho.
***p.s. btw I never meant to infer that Michelle's parents were wealthy, on the contrary, I stated parents that were well-off or worked two jobs or more. And therefore could afford to put a child into skating, but the former would be easy whereas the latter would be extremely tough, as has been proven. Where it gets interesting is a single parent like Agnes's working as a nanny. Or Tonya Harding's parents, which I never quite understood, I think her mother was a waitress? and her father disabled, or something like that, she lived in a trailer home (same as Rudi Galindo), that's all I can recall.***
Yep, Tonya was that & more, but thank goodness Agnes is her own person and doesn't have to be a clone of Tonya. In fact the only thing I personally noticed about Agnes that reminded me of Tonya is the legs and the natural innate jumping ability. To infer character traits is a bit too much. Give the kid a chance.
Obviously her makeup, clothes, and programs need to be worked on. In fact I actually liked her exhibition piece the best. I think she skated to a "Black Crowes" song? Minimal makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a black dress skating to powerful song fit her to a "T" imho. But the thing that really stood out to me is how she cannot be classified, she's an amalgamation of so many different things, I mean her upper body is like a ballerina, then her lower body is like a power skater. It's an odd & intriguing combination.
GOOOOOOOOOOO AGNES!!!!
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
That's the way the Soviets did it and it paid off nicely for many years.
Here in america they wait until the skaters prove themselves in early competitions and are capable of paying their way to higher levels of competition. All praise to Michael Weiss' Foundation for assisting Dornbush's financial needs.
As for Tonya - I have never agreed that she was part of the method her cronies took to bash Kerrington's knees. I do think she knew something was going to happen to prevent Kerrington from winning, but she didn't know exactly what the plans were. It's possible she thought they would try to tease Kerrington only. But it was glaring fodder for the Press to carry on the way they did, and in doing so, the media caused the world to be against Kerrington as well as Tonya.
I do agree that Agnes could use some off-the-ice training on how to present her presentation, and put it to use in her programs. She will enjoy her Tech all the more for it.
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- Oct 19, 2009
Hah! I'm still so ignorant. I wouldn't know that's the title of her music.
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- Jan 15, 2010
Is it bad that I find that hilarious instead of vulgar?
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- Jun 21, 2003
Steinbrenner gave financial support to Tonya Harding, too.
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- Oct 22, 2005
That is hilarous!!
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- Aug 15, 2003
well I don't mean to brag but when I used to watch porn, that's the kinda music they used to use..
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- Jan 15, 2010
^ Too much information, dude.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2010
I always wonder how much attention Tom Z's skaters get individually because he has so many skaters. I think Agnes is a very special skater, but she may benefit from training in a smaller environment where she isn't living in the shadow of Rachael Flatt. And as it has been said by many other posters, Tom's skaters aren't exactly known for their artistry, though I still think he is a fabulous coach for a plethora of other reasons. I am reminded of how Sarah Hughes blossomed under the tutelage of Robin Wagner, where she was her coach's sole focus. They had an ideal skater-coach relationship and we all know where that took Hughes. I am not saying that Wagner is the ideal coach for Agnes, but I think that she does have enormous potential that needs to be nurtured and developed and I don't know that Tom Z has the time or the artistic eye to give her what she needs.
I've been thinking about this part of your post off & on for the past two weeks, Joesitz.
And after much consideration, I am of the mind that no matter how talented a kid is, if they don't have the money then unfortunately they shouldn't be allowed to skate. This ties into my view of America as it stands now, which bears no resemblance to what made it great, primarily the hard work of the pioneers.
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- Nov 22, 2010
Are you actually serious right now? I hope and pray that you did not see RISE because what you are suggesting right now is blasphemous to the memory of the 1961 team. The whole reason the memorial fund was established was so that young skaters could receive the financial support they need to achieve their dreams in a very expensive sport. If, as you say, talented kids who don't have the money should not be able to skate, we would have no Tanith Belbin, Evan Lysacek, Michelle Kwan, Peggy Fleming, Scott Hamilton, or Johnny Weir, as they were all supported by the memorial fund.
My post was in response to Joesitz's post.
In particular where he addresses the difference between the old Soviet system versus America's. I used to think the old Soviet system was the best, but in retrospect, no, wherein the State picks up all the costs, as long as the skater shows talent, and as a result the skater can thrive.
But after much consideration I no longer endorse this system, rather I like the system America has in place, wherein the parents' pay, and if necessary they receive help from patrons, the USFSA funding, etc.
Skating is a priviledged sport here in America and I wish it to stay that way. I don't want to see the State get involved.
In America if a child wants to skate then the parent(s) must pay for it, by whatever means possible, and if that means taking two jobs or more, taking out a second mortgage on the house, getting in debt, etc., that's their choice. Don't expect handouts or the State to pay for it. That's my point. I endorse the American Way, the way of the pioneers, hard work. If you want something you have to pay for it.
Anyhow, my apologies for going off topic, back to Agnes, I love the fact that both she & her mother & grandparents are working hard to foster her phenomenal skating ability. And that she qualifies and receives funding from the USFSA, which she worked hard for, in addition to any donations that are coming her way.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGNES!!!!:thumbsup:
In particular where he addresses the difference between the old Soviet system versus America's. I used to think the old Soviet system was the best, but in retrospect, no, wherein the State picks up all the costs, as long as the skater shows talent, and as a result the skater can thrive.
But after much consideration I no longer endorse this system, rather I like the system America has in place, wherein the parents' pay, and if necessary they receive help from patrons, the USFSA funding, etc.
Skating is a priviledged sport here in America and I wish it to stay that way. I don't want to see the State get involved.
In America if a child wants to skate then the parent(s) must pay for it, by whatever means possible, and if that means taking two jobs or more, taking out a second mortgage on the house, getting in debt, etc., that's their choice. Don't expect handouts or the State to pay for it. That's my point. I endorse the American Way, the way of the pioneers, hard work. If you want something you have to pay for it.
Anyhow, my apologies for going off topic, back to Agnes, I love the fact that both she & her mother & grandparents are working hard to foster her phenomenal skating ability. And that she qualifies and receives funding from the USFSA, which she worked hard for, in addition to any donations that are coming her way.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGNES!!!!:thumbsup:
