I watched "Shall We Dance, a US NBC ice show yesterday. Normally, I don't much like ice shows but this one was exceptional. It featured ice dance teams past and present. Everyone was great but what really struck me was how powerful and captivating Naomi Lang and Peter Tschernechev were and are. It made me think...there are certainly skaters who didn't hit the pinnacle of the podium -sure, Michelle Kwan should be an Olympic Champion and Janet Lynn deserved a World medal. But there were reasons for both. But Naomi and Peter just left competitive skating too soon. I know there were personal reasons with Naomi having a child but it still makes me wonder what could have been for them. A decade later they still have strong technical and artistic skills. I know both have moved on personally but I think they could have been major players in that 2005-10 era. Maybe with Tanith and Ben's rise, Naomi and Peter were forgotten. But, wow...what could have been! Any other "could have been's ?"
Skaters who didn't hit the 'pinnacle'
- Thread starter slider11
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- Feb 27, 2012
The show aired on ABC (not NBC).
Worth mentioning because ABC also will re-air it, if anyone would like to see it then:
Saturday, February 27, 2016
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. EST/
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. CST/
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. MST/
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. PST
Check your local listings!
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. EST/
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. CST/
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. MST/
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. PST
Check your local listings!
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- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Great show!
Lang and Tchernyshev did look like they could skate right back into competition. I remember well back in the day every time they competed the U.S. commentators would complain about how undermarked they were compared to ice dancers from other countries.
Realistically, though, I do not think that they could have extended their amateur careers. Both of them missed a lot of events due to injuries, especially Naomi, in their last two years of competition. In 2006 Naomi would have been 28 and Peter 35.
Lang and Tchernyshev did look like they could skate right back into competition. I remember well back in the day every time they competed the U.S. commentators would complain about how undermarked they were compared to ice dancers from other countries.
Realistically, though, I do not think that they could have extended their amateur careers. Both of them missed a lot of events due to injuries, especially Naomi, in their last two years of competition. In 2006 Naomi would have been 28 and Peter 35.
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- Nov 19, 2013
I think my biggest "could have been" is Tara Lipinski. I was never fan of her skating style because it seemed very immature to me. But, her talent was undeniable and I would like to have seen how she grew as a skater and would have presented herself at age 18 or 19. I understand that she had some hip problems that played into her decision to stop competing, but I wish the doctors could have patched that up somehow so she could have had a longer career.
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- Jul 9, 2014
I only remember seeing Naomi Nari Nam at one competition but, I really thought she'd be the next big thing. I think she tried switching to pairs for a while but, I really thought she was going to be a star. The other skater I really liked is the girl who beat Ann Patrice at Junior Worlds. I don't even remember her name but, I thought she was great and would be at the top soon. Does anyone remember her name?
Holy Cow!!! Weren't Johnny Weir and Evan L. at those Championships?
Holy Cow!!! Weren't Johnny Weir and Evan L. at those Championships?
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- Jun 21, 2003
^ I had to look it up, but it was Kristina Oblasova (RUS). She faded quickly and never made a mark as a senior.
Ann Patrice herself is a better example of a what might have been skater. After finishing second to Oblasova at junior worlds in 2001, the next year she won it. In the 2002 fall season she got second at Skate America, where she won the heart of the town, put on amazing shows at practices, and basically stole the show from Michelle Kwan (although Michelle won the competition). She was all set to go to Cup of Russia for her second Grand Prix event with high hopes of making the grand prix final in her first season as an international senior.
Unfortunately when she got to Paris with her mother, their visas were not in order and the authorities would not let them on the plane to Moscow. It seemed like this took the heart out of AP and she was never the same. The USFSA came under fire for not offering any help or advice to young skaters who were inexperienced travelers. Anyway, she retired after that season. She always seemed like a reluctant star who did not really like skating very much in the first place. Her mother was the skating enthusiast of the family and reputedly pushed AP faster than she wanted to be pushed.
Ann Patrice herself is a better example of a what might have been skater. After finishing second to Oblasova at junior worlds in 2001, the next year she won it. In the 2002 fall season she got second at Skate America, where she won the heart of the town, put on amazing shows at practices, and basically stole the show from Michelle Kwan (although Michelle won the competition). She was all set to go to Cup of Russia for her second Grand Prix event with high hopes of making the grand prix final in her first season as an international senior.
Unfortunately when she got to Paris with her mother, their visas were not in order and the authorities would not let them on the plane to Moscow. It seemed like this took the heart out of AP and she was never the same. The USFSA came under fire for not offering any help or advice to young skaters who were inexperienced travelers. Anyway, she retired after that season. She always seemed like a reluctant star who did not really like skating very much in the first place. Her mother was the skating enthusiast of the family and reputedly pushed AP faster than she wanted to be pushed.
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- Jul 9, 2014
Mathman, I remember seeing Ann Patrice at an event I was doing for Coke. She was backstage and she just looked very forlorn. Not sad, just like she'd rather be anywhere other than where she was. Her coach wasn't with her and I couldn't figure out why she was sitting alone. Maybe that was her thing but, I thought it was odd. Does anyone know what she's up to these days?
BTW....2001. Really?? I'm so freakin' old.
BTW....2001. Really?? I'm so freakin' old.
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I remember AP skating the following season to lackluster results. I think she stopped after '04.
I liked her skating and it was pre- the COP when she wouldn't have been punished for some of her technical errors (e.g. Lips, under rotations).
Add in Ye Bin Mok to the list of American skaters that could have been. I think she had a really big lutz.
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- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
Ye Bin had a huge Lutz, Gorgeous Posture, and one of the prettiest laybacks ever. Her SP from 2003 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlv6n5EQq3U
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- Mar 7, 2015
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canadian could have been : emmanuel sandhu.... so much talent....
cynthia phaneuf... if she hadn't grown to be a tall 5'7" women... I wonder what would have happened... she was so good when she won her first Canadian title... she fought back but never to reach her full potential...
and of course, Josée... so much talent again... sort of female version of Sandhu... both did well at GPF beating top world contenders but never put two strong programs back to back when it counted...
cynthia phaneuf... if she hadn't grown to be a tall 5'7" women... I wonder what would have happened... she was so good when she won her first Canadian title... she fought back but never to reach her full potential...
and of course, Josée... so much talent again... sort of female version of Sandhu... both did well at GPF beating top world contenders but never put two strong programs back to back when it counted...
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- Jul 9, 2014
Well, I don't consider either of those skaters "Could Have Been's" because they both made the World Team and have National Titles. Unlike Ann Patrice, who had all the talent but never made it past Pewter as a Senior. Then I look at someone Like Bebe Liang who never won Junior Worlds and had a better career IMO than A.P. Has anyone ever interviewed A.P. and asked her about her career?
Growing up as a performer, I saw several "Stage Parents" and I often wonder if they exist in skating as well. My Father was the exact opposite and didn't have any interest in my performing arts activities. Until of course, I started to make money:agree: I think it was Tiffany Chin who also had an "Ice Mother" who pushed her past the point of enjoying the sport.
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- Jul 9, 2014
hehe
i do
Speaking of Cynthia. She's another skater who used "Egyptian Lover" arm gestures in her Cleopatra LP. Of course, they are appropriate for Cloe
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- Jan 5, 2016
I often wonder what coulda been with the pairs team of Brubaker/McLaughlin. They dominated the junior circuit, and I really felt like they could have made US Pairs relevant on the international stage. Their lifts were breathtaking.
Too bad about their performance at 2010 Nationals, but does anyone know why they weren't "Wagner-ed" and put on the olympic team based on the strength of their international results?
Too bad about their performance at 2010 Nationals, but does anyone know why they weren't "Wagner-ed" and put on the olympic team based on the strength of their international results?
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- Nov 18, 2014
Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
Also, to your question about whether there are stage parents in skating: oooooh yeah. They're extremely common, as they are in most performing arts. (Music parents are equally bad, particularly with violinists because violin is insanely competitive.)
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
In those faraway days (2010
) selections to the U.S. world and Olympic teams were almost entirely based on placement at Nationals, period. McLaughlin and Brubaker got fifth and would have had to leapfrog over three teams (the U.S. had two places in pairs at the 2010 Olympics in 2010). Two of the teams (Inoue/Baldwin and Castile/Okolski) were also former U.S. champions with some degree of international success.The real nail-biter was whether the USFSA would send Inoue and Baldwin instead of Evora and Ladwig (Denny and Barrett were in as U.S. champions.) I&B were third (and did a throw triple Axel), falling behind Evora
and Ladwig by less than a point. John, in fact threw something of a tantrum that they weren't selected.In general, though, people in the skating world were thrilled that Evora and Ladwig got the nod. They were so nice, so patient throughout their career waiting for their shot at the big time, never an unkind word for any other skater or coach or for for USFSA (in contrast to Baldwin who was a little bit of a bad boy.
)
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- Jul 9, 2014
It's very interesting that you mentioned the Violin. One of the biggest Parental Blowups I've ever seen happened while I was singing in a Christian Musical called "And There Was Light " In my experience......The Prima Dona performers were mostly the Singers and Dancers. However, the Prima Dona "Parents" were from the Orchestra. Maybe because voices don't cost thousands of dollars. As a singer, if my throat hurt, I took an Advil, drank hot tea with lemon and went to bed. Those Violins are extremely expensive to repair and even when they're in cases. They are fragile.
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