I have been watching off and on my tapes from the 1991 Nationals, and was amazed all over again at the skating of Mark Mitchell. He got a couple of tough breaks, one at 1991 Nats where Paul placed above him to make the podium, and again not making the Olympic team in 1994 when Brian B. came back to compete in another Olympics. It got me to wondering if he could have made National Champion if he'd stuck around another couple of years......I also wonder that about Paul Wylie after the Olympics......should he have tried again one more year......Any other skaters, in any country, who should have stuck it out a little longer? 42
If They'd Stuck Around......
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Paul, during the 2002 pairs fiasco, was interviewed by a Christian Sports Radio program(because I basically harassed them for a year and the finally got a hold of Paul LOL) and they asked him if he ever wished he'd stuck around another year... and he said no. That the Silver Medal was enough, that he figured it was a gift from God and that he probably wouldn't have wanted to skate after another year of competition...
I'm just remembering the jist of what he said... I recorded it on tape... but never labeled it... so yeah LOL
anywho... I have to agree... his silver was such a high for him... I don't think he'd have been able to ride on it for a whole competitive season
and if he could have then Kurt wouldn't have won in 93 and probably wouldn't have gone to the 94 olys and redeemed himself in the LP LOL
I'm just remembering the jist of what he said... I recorded it on tape... but never labeled it... so yeah LOL
anywho... I have to agree... his silver was such a high for him... I don't think he'd have been able to ride on it for a whole competitive season
and if he could have then Kurt wouldn't have won in 93 and probably wouldn't have gone to the 94 olys and redeemed himself in the LP LOL
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Mark Mitchell was a lovely skater, not only handsome to die for, but also with beautiful stroking and flow on the ice. However, he was never able to master the triple axel. I don't think that at the age he retired, he was likely to acquire the triple axel in another year, so yes, retiring was probably his best option.
He is now coaching for Skating Club of Boston. He was named developmental coach of the year, with Peter Johannson, in 2003 by USFSA/PSA. Here's the nice article (You have to scroll about half way down the page before they start talking about Mark.) They have worked with a lot of the up and coming skaters including Scott Smith, Jason Wong, Jessica Houston and Erica Archambault.
.http://usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/0/1ce021cc0ae666a185256d34005c4aea?OpenDocument
So although he didn't quite make it to the top as a skater, he seems to be making a real impact as a coach.
dpp
He is now coaching for Skating Club of Boston. He was named developmental coach of the year, with Peter Johannson, in 2003 by USFSA/PSA. Here's the nice article (You have to scroll about half way down the page before they start talking about Mark.) They have worked with a lot of the up and coming skaters including Scott Smith, Jason Wong, Jessica Houston and Erica Archambault.
.http://usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/0/1ce021cc0ae666a185256d34005c4aea?OpenDocument
So although he didn't quite make it to the top as a skater, he seems to be making a real impact as a coach.
dpp
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- Jul 30, 2003
The two that I always wonder about are Tim Wood and Gaby Seyfert.
Both won controversial silver medals at 68 Olys, whith many claiming they should have won.
Both won worlds in 69 and 70.
On a roll for 72 Oly gold, both inexplicably turned pro after 70 worlds.
Schuba and Nepala, who took over for them as world and Oly champs, are two of the most disliked/unappreciated champs in history.
What happened? Do I smell a political rat?
Both won controversial silver medals at 68 Olys, whith many claiming they should have won.
Both won worlds in 69 and 70.
On a roll for 72 Oly gold, both inexplicably turned pro after 70 worlds.
Schuba and Nepala, who took over for them as world and Oly champs, are two of the most disliked/unappreciated champs in history.
What happened? Do I smell a political rat?
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- Jul 31, 2003
From what I heard/read, Trixie Schuba was the greatest Compulsory School Figures skater. That is why she won the Olympic gold. The figures used to count very high (60%?) those days. I am not familiar with Nepala who was mentioned.
People have different reasons for continuing/not continuing. Their (Wood and Seyfert) goals may have been to win the world title, and they felt they had achieved what they wanted to....time to move on to other things.
Same with Paul Wylie's decision to retire after the 92 Olympics. It was the highest point in his career and it is understandable that he wanted to retire on a high note. His stellar pro career shows that it was the right decision for him.
Vash
People have different reasons for continuing/not continuing. Their (Wood and Seyfert) goals may have been to win the world title, and they felt they had achieved what they wanted to....time to move on to other things.
Same with Paul Wylie's decision to retire after the 92 Olympics. It was the highest point in his career and it is understandable that he wanted to retire on a high note. His stellar pro career shows that it was the right decision for him.
Vash
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There is a vignette about Nepala in one of Toller's book, if you want to know about him.
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Ina & Zimmerman.
I think Kyoko and John could be in the top 3 pairs in the wold catagory had they stuck around a little longer. They were just about to peak in 2002 when they left, and I could only imagine how much better they could have gotten. I really wish the whole drug test thing didn't happen, then maybe they would have changed their minds, but after that, and then skating in a pro competition this year... there is no hope! I definetly miss them, they could have been really wonderful.
I think Kyoko and John could be in the top 3 pairs in the wold catagory had they stuck around a little longer. They were just about to peak in 2002 when they left, and I could only imagine how much better they could have gotten. I really wish the whole drug test thing didn't happen, then maybe they would have changed their minds, but after that, and then skating in a pro competition this year... there is no hope! I definetly miss them, they could have been really wonderful.
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- Jul 30, 2003
72 champs
Both excelled at figures and were kinda lame free skaters, which is why they are seldome spoken/written about today. Not only was it 60%, but the actual scores carried over rather than just the ordinals. Hence Scuba 1st in figures, 7th in FS winning in 72. Nepala wasn't as awesum as Scuba in figures, but was a better jumper, even if his "artestry" was dubious.
Obviously neither Gaby nor Tim were useless at figures, or they wouldn't have so many medals in thier dispaly cases. Maybe they saw the writting on the wall (insurmountable leads in figures) and decided to quit while they were ahead. Maybe they were both happy with what they had, and ready to retire. Maybe there was political pressure. I just find it odd/intreguing that they both were ontop and quit at exactly the same moment. Could you imaging Yagudin and Kwan quitting after 2000 worlds?
Both excelled at figures and were kinda lame free skaters, which is why they are seldome spoken/written about today. Not only was it 60%, but the actual scores carried over rather than just the ordinals. Hence Scuba 1st in figures, 7th in FS winning in 72. Nepala wasn't as awesum as Scuba in figures, but was a better jumper, even if his "artestry" was dubious.
Obviously neither Gaby nor Tim were useless at figures, or they wouldn't have so many medals in thier dispaly cases. Maybe they saw the writting on the wall (insurmountable leads in figures) and decided to quit while they were ahead. Maybe they were both happy with what they had, and ready to retire. Maybe there was political pressure. I just find it odd/intreguing that they both were ontop and quit at exactly the same moment. Could you imaging Yagudin and Kwan quitting after 2000 worlds?
