Why is Sarah H so unpopular with so many?
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Not exactly - they were eligible for the whole season and all the returning pro's could have gone to Worlds if they wanted. I clearly remember an article on G&G stating they were going to compete, but they obviously decided against it and withdrew.
I may have misunderstood your post but it sounded like they were only allowed to compete in the Olympics and then had to return to being Pro. That's not the case.
It annoys me when skaters ditch Worlds too - it makes a mockery of the competition IMO
Matt said:G&G had turned pro, so they couldn't have gone to Worlds if they had wanted to. Remember, Lillehammer was a special case when they let the pros compete with the amateurs.
You're right Lillehammer was a special situation to let pros reinstate.
All pros could go back to Lillehammer, however once they competed in a professonial competition after Lillehammer-they lost their eligiblility once and for all, and they could not gain it back.
All of the pros who reinstated (except Artur Dmitriev) all lost their eligiblity afterwards by competiting in professional competitions/shows.
Unless they competed in a professional only show/competition between February and March(when worlds is held) of 1994, G&G would have still been eligible for worlds.
I never understood why skaters ditched worlds either. I think people were too hard on Tara when she did it b/c she already won the title the year before, however I was puzzled when Sarah ditched Worlds b/c that year was probably her best shot at winning the title. Also no one gave her as much flack as they gave Tara.
I think the pros had other reasons for ditching worlds though b/c remember that they took a spot from an "amateur" skater so they would want to give that opportunity to another skater to compete. Like Todd decided not to compete in 2002 worlds b/c the US guys had enough talent to secure 3 spots without him and he wanted to give another skater a shot.
I think the pros had other reasons for ditching worlds though b/c remember that they took a spot from an "amateur" skater so they would want to give that opportunity to another skater to compete. Like Todd decided not to compete in 2002 worlds b/c the US guys had enough talent to secure 3 spots without him and he wanted to give another skater a shot.
I'm surprised at the number of people who think Sarah is unpopular because she won gold over Irina or Michelle. I don't love Sarah, I don't hate her...I just don't care either way and I can't say that I miss her.
My reaction to Sarah's Olympic win was "hmm.. maybe she really does have potential to be graceful..that was the best we've seen yet..It'll probably take a couple seasons before we can see that on a somewhat consistent basis" but it was never a "WOW!" reaction.
I think she made the best choice for herself in choosing Yale, and I think she would have been better off by not bothering to come back after the Olympic year. There was always something about her skating that felt unfinished to me and she left skating after a bad outing. Her skating seemed to go downhill during the 2003 season, not anything that gradually improved. It's kind of sad, really. So that also impacts my overall impression of her.
I also got the impression earlier in her career that she was not a "lifer". From what I remember, she always expressed an interest in medicine which is great for her, but I love the people who never leave skating. There is a passion that shines through and it can't be imitated. They grab my heart.
Best wishes for Sarah. She's a good person and she made some good choices for herself (with the exception of the return after the Olympic year). I think she's happy and I'm happy that I get to watch others skate. It all works out.
My reaction to Sarah's Olympic win was "hmm.. maybe she really does have potential to be graceful..that was the best we've seen yet..It'll probably take a couple seasons before we can see that on a somewhat consistent basis" but it was never a "WOW!" reaction.
I think she made the best choice for herself in choosing Yale, and I think she would have been better off by not bothering to come back after the Olympic year. There was always something about her skating that felt unfinished to me and she left skating after a bad outing. Her skating seemed to go downhill during the 2003 season, not anything that gradually improved. It's kind of sad, really. So that also impacts my overall impression of her.
I also got the impression earlier in her career that she was not a "lifer". From what I remember, she always expressed an interest in medicine which is great for her, but I love the people who never leave skating. There is a passion that shines through and it can't be imitated. They grab my heart.
Best wishes for Sarah. She's a good person and she made some good choices for herself (with the exception of the return after the Olympic year). I think she's happy and I'm happy that I get to watch others skate. It all works out.
mpal- I agree with you on that Sarah wasn't a lifer. Which isn't a bad thing but maybe fans don't want to invest their hearts with someone who won't stick around.
I don't think that it was a mistake that she came back the next year, however I think she felt kind of obligated to after she made such a big deal about continuing with the sport. I think that she had a change of heart a few months after the Olympics but kind of went through with her intentions to continue to compete even though she changed. Sarah skated pretty well at Nationals though. Maybe not Olympic caliber but I was really impressed with how consistent she was with her jumps and this is with a 15-20 lb weight gain on top of that. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't stick thin like she was in SLC. She looked like a woman out there (not a bad thing). Worlds was an aberration and it doesn't reflect badly on her just like I don't judge MK on what happened at '97 Nationals.
I don't think that it was a mistake that she came back the next year, however I think she felt kind of obligated to after she made such a big deal about continuing with the sport. I think that she had a change of heart a few months after the Olympics but kind of went through with her intentions to continue to compete even though she changed. Sarah skated pretty well at Nationals though. Maybe not Olympic caliber but I was really impressed with how consistent she was with her jumps and this is with a 15-20 lb weight gain on top of that. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't stick thin like she was in SLC. She looked like a woman out there (not a bad thing). Worlds was an aberration and it doesn't reflect badly on her just like I don't judge MK on what happened at '97 Nationals.
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- Jul 28, 2003
Sarah is not unpoplular with her Canuck fans! I really loved her style. I think she was unappreciated by her US fans, and did not really get the chance to prove herself - although, winning an Olympic Gold medal on her first time out speaks volumes about her abilities. Perhaps, because there is such a talent pool of female skaters in the US to choose from, Sarah may not be appreciated as fully as she would here in Canada. We have sadly lacked in the ladies discipline since Karen Magnussen and Liz Manley. However, things are looking up for our ladies. We had great results at Canadians this season. However, this is about Sarah - so should stay on topic. I wish people would say more positive things about her. She is a wonderful skater. It's strange how these things work sometimes.
I don't think anybody should dislike Sarah just because she won the OMG. She deserved to win that night. I watched the Champion on Ice after the Olympics and Sarah did very well at the show. The major problem is that she left the show for some reason and lot of rumors flowed around.
She did have flutz problem, so do few other US elite ladies. But Sarah improved her artistry so much over the years. Going to school is good choice for her future. But if she can coordinate her school and professional tour together, I think people shouldn't say anything negative about her. If she loves the sport, she should stick with it for a long period of time.
She did have flutz problem, so do few other US elite ladies. But Sarah improved her artistry so much over the years. Going to school is good choice for her future. But if she can coordinate her school and professional tour together, I think people shouldn't say anything negative about her. If she loves the sport, she should stick with it for a long period of time.
That's an excellent question and I think people wrongly assume the answer is yes. If that were the case, a World title would be the equivalent of the an Olympic title. It's pretty obvious, few people believe the 2 titles are equal.
IMO, the Olympics aren't so much about being the best skater. It's about rewarding the athlete that brings his or her best to the moment. It's one shot every 4 years- put up or shut up.
Sarah met the challenge with the absolute best she had to give. Irina, Michelle, and Sasha didn't bring their best to the moment. There was nothing stopping them. They had more skating ability and (except for Sasha) more competitive experience than Sarah. They failed to meet the challenge. Sarah WON that Gold medal.
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- Jun 21, 2003
I don't see how anyone can blame Sarah for taking "Michelle's" gold medal. Michelle did not have to beat Sarah in the free skate, just Irina.
Several people have raised the question of the IT factor. Sonja Henie, Katarina Witt and Marilyn Monroe had IT. That's cool.
But sometimes I wonder if maybe IT is overrated. For me, I like just as much the "girl next door" charm that performers such as Sarah, Michelle, Sasha and Irina bring to the sport.
Mathman
Several people have raised the question of the IT factor. Sonja Henie, Katarina Witt and Marilyn Monroe had IT. That's cool.
But sometimes I wonder if maybe IT is overrated. For me, I like just as much the "girl next door" charm that performers such as Sarah, Michelle, Sasha and Irina bring to the sport.
Mathman
Sarah has been treated very badly on the internet, but she has many fans and is very well liked.
She beat Michelle and Irina. She deserved her win. Some call it a fluke. It was her night. She took what she was given and worked it to her best ability. She has always been gracious and never did a bad thing to her competitors.
For the most part, the American public has really embraced her. They did not embrace Tara Lipinski the way they did Sarah. Sarah did a great job representing the US as the gold medal winner at SLC.
She beat Michelle and Irina. She deserved her win. Some call it a fluke. It was her night. She took what she was given and worked it to her best ability. She has always been gracious and never did a bad thing to her competitors.
For the most part, the American public has really embraced her. They did not embrace Tara Lipinski the way they did Sarah. Sarah did a great job representing the US as the gold medal winner at SLC.
soogar said:
soogar,
I don't think it was a mistake for her to come back because she performed poorly. I think it was a mistake for her to come back because she really didn't want to be there. I think the only reason why she performed so badly is that she was just ready to quit. It's hard watching a skater you don't adore to begin with struggle with motivation because it makes it all the more painful to watch. There are virtually no redeeming qualities to the program after that. I would have preferred seeing her end with a postive upbeat attitude instead.
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- Jul 27, 2003
Susanbeth,
Sarah definitely did WIN her OGM. I hate when people say skaters were "given" a medal or "handed" something when they clearly earned it. Certainly, some cases come to mind where a skater wins with a less than stellar performance over others that could have been viewed as more deserving (for me, that would be Irina's victory at the 2002 GPF). But, Sarah skated her absolute best. It isn't her fault that everyone else couldn't put down similar performances that night. She was given nothing. She earned it.
As for Sarah's return in 2003, well, I refuse to judge her on that. Who can know what it was like for her? She skates and trains endlessly for years...and bam, the dream moment of a lifetime changes everything in one night. She did what she felt she should and came back because skating had been the main focus of her life for so many years. It must have been a very confusing time for her. Everything changed for Sarah after SLC and I'm sure she was just trying to sort everything out during the post-Olympic year.
Sarah definitely did WIN her OGM. I hate when people say skaters were "given" a medal or "handed" something when they clearly earned it. Certainly, some cases come to mind where a skater wins with a less than stellar performance over others that could have been viewed as more deserving (for me, that would be Irina's victory at the 2002 GPF). But, Sarah skated her absolute best. It isn't her fault that everyone else couldn't put down similar performances that night. She was given nothing. She earned it.
As for Sarah's return in 2003, well, I refuse to judge her on that. Who can know what it was like for her? She skates and trains endlessly for years...and bam, the dream moment of a lifetime changes everything in one night. She did what she felt she should and came back because skating had been the main focus of her life for so many years. It must have been a very confusing time for her. Everything changed for Sarah after SLC and I'm sure she was just trying to sort everything out during the post-Olympic year.
I disagree with Sarah being treated poorly on the internet. No skater gets more flame than Tara Lipinski. Despite people not liking Sarah's skating b/c we think she's boring etc, you don't see anything like the crap that was hurled when Tara won. It is pretty vulgar esp in regard to her injury etc.
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- Jul 28, 2003
That covers the Kwan fans, if you believe that, that issk8m8 said:
, but it doesn't explain why she is not more popular with the ABK fans. Circa 1995/1996 they were alll for Chen Lu and Nicole Bobek. In 1997/1998 it was Tara Lipinski, then Maria Butyrskaya and Naomi Nari Nam in 1999, then Irina Slutskaya from 2000-2002, now Sasha Cohen. Hughes slipped through the cracks for some reason, despite winning the Olympics, which meant Kwan lost. The ABK fans seemed grateful enough to her, but she didn't get the adoration that most skaters who beat or upstage Kwan get from them. I do have a theory of why, but I can't prove it and it will probably just upset people.
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- Dec 28, 2003
Okay, Jimmy, maybe there are such people as those you describe; in fact, I know that there are nasty people out there who root against skaters for whatever reason (which to me is against the spirit of what figure skating fandom should be) , in spite of all the honest hard work that goes into being an elite skater, let alone a consistent one like MK, but I'm assuming you do make allowances for people who just prefer other skaters?
OR--gasp
--fans of skating who like both MK and Lulu (like BronzeIsGolden--no doubt can be cast upon her love of Michelle's skating, and she preferred Lulu's Rach at 96 Worlds--hope you don't mind me citing you as an example, BiG I know you make no bones about how much you love both MK and Lulu, and Lulu on that night), or both MK and Irina (each competitor pushed the other and it resulted in great moments in skating on many occasions), or both MK and NNN, or both MK and Nicole Bobek, or both MK and Sasha (the fan in question could be a patriotic fan of US lady skaters in general, dying to see US ladies sweep, in ANY order), or just the bloody lot of them
OR....
Is it law that you're either with the Kween or against her? Sheesh
Sarah
OR--gasp
--fans of skating who like both MK and Lulu (like BronzeIsGolden--no doubt can be cast upon her love of Michelle's skating, and she preferred Lulu's Rach at 96 Worlds--hope you don't mind me citing you as an example, BiG I know you make no bones about how much you love both MK and Lulu, and Lulu on that night), or both MK and Irina (each competitor pushed the other and it resulted in great moments in skating on many occasions), or both MK and NNN, or both MK and Nicole Bobek, or both MK and Sasha (the fan in question could be a patriotic fan of US lady skaters in general, dying to see US ladies sweep, in ANY order), or just the bloody lot of them OR....
Is it law that you're either with the Kween or against her? Sheesh
Sarah
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- Joined
- Dec 28, 2003
a dose of realistic51
case in point, an impassioned plea for tolerance from fans who would force us to pick one skater or be automatically presumed guilty of rooting against him/her--and, quite fittingly, it comes from a poster by the name of realistic51 (thank you, Realistic!!!!)
And if I MUST be labeled, go ahead and call me "Anybody"...not "Anybody but Kwan" or "Anybody But Cohen", but just "Anybody". I love great performances, and I've seen people ranging from my most favorite skaters to skaters whose style I don't usually care for, give them, so I try to stay open to the possibility of experiencing a great performance every time "Anybody" steps out onto the ice, and I'm sure that goes for most posters here, generally a level-headed bunch who love SKATING first and foremost, right, guys?
Sarah
case in point, an impassioned plea for tolerance from fans who would force us to pick one skater or be automatically presumed guilty of rooting against him/her--and, quite fittingly, it comes from a poster by the name of realistic51 (thank you, Realistic!!!!)
And if I MUST be labeled, go ahead and call me "Anybody"...not "Anybody but Kwan" or "Anybody But Cohen", but just "Anybody". I love great performances, and I've seen people ranging from my most favorite skaters to skaters whose style I don't usually care for, give them, so I try to stay open to the possibility of experiencing a great performance every time "Anybody" steps out onto the ice, and I'm sure that goes for most posters here, generally a level-headed bunch who love SKATING first and foremost, right, guys?
Sarah
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- Jul 27, 2003
I read a lot of FS boards. And almost universally my impression is that fans and non-fans like SARAH the PERSON. I have never seen people expressing dislike of her personality, pick apart her statements, or express anything other than she's got a good head on her shoulders. (Indeed, her coach Robin received far more flack than anything Sarah has).
But I have read posts from people who dislike Sarah's SKATING. And it's fairly unusual that posters are able to separate the person from the skating. Too often if someone doesn't like the skating, it spills over into excessive criticism of the person. Sarah is definitely not ANYWHERE near the top ten, heck the TOP 20, of skaters that are unpopular on the Internet. But her SKATING is not as admired. Many people had justifiable reasons to point out her horrendous flutz (one of the worst ever seen by a top lady) and her general vanilla presentation (vanilla is a pleasant flavor, but lacks excitement). The only time she added any sprinkles, whip cream and a cherry to her skating was that ONE performance in the LP at SLC. So I give her props for delivering a sundae at that particular moment.
But I have read posts from people who dislike Sarah's SKATING. And it's fairly unusual that posters are able to separate the person from the skating. Too often if someone doesn't like the skating, it spills over into excessive criticism of the person. Sarah is definitely not ANYWHERE near the top ten, heck the TOP 20, of skaters that are unpopular on the Internet. But her SKATING is not as admired. Many people had justifiable reasons to point out her horrendous flutz (one of the worst ever seen by a top lady) and her general vanilla presentation (vanilla is a pleasant flavor, but lacks excitement). The only time she added any sprinkles, whip cream and a cherry to her skating was that ONE performance in the LP at SLC. So I give her props for delivering a sundae at that particular moment.
