New Info on MK Biography on A&E

Apparently it will be on October 2nd at 4am ET/PT(I hope they replay it at other times!). Here is the summary for those of you who didn't know what they could be talking about (from the A&E website):

Chronicles the career of the figure skater who fulfilled her Chinese immigrant parents' dream by becoming a skating legend. Michelle Kwan is an Olympic Silver and Bronze medalist and a World Champion many times over, but her path to even greater glory and Olympic Gold has been blocked by underdog competitors and her own costly mistakes. Kwan, named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People", has foregone a lucrative pro career to make one last Olympic bid in 2006.

The same show will also be shown on the Biography Channel (never heard of this channel!) on October 4th, 9-10pm.

The Biography and History Channels are part of A&E and sometimes recycle A&E programs.

Hmmm. Thanks, Lucy. Lucrative pro career?

I am not going to like this. It sounds like they will have only one string to their harp.

Mathman

Lucrative pro career?

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I found that description interesting as well. I guess people who aren't skating fanatics assume the pro world is still booming. An interesting thought, though: What if the pro world was still extremely popular and there were ridiculous amounts of cash still to be made? Do you think Michelle would still be an amateur? I would say yes. But, then again, look who is on my avatar! She has never struck me as the type that was fixated on monetary gain (although I'm sure she really enjoys that aspect). She makes a ton already! What do you guys think?

but her path to even greater glory and Olympic Gold has been blocked by underdog competitors and her own costly mistakes.

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What costly mistake did she make in Nagano? She skated beautifully in her long and Tara was no "underdog".............42

^^That's what I was thinking too. She skated beautifully in Nagano!

Ahh, I guess if that's the preview they have given us, I might wait til it airs before I decide if I want a copy of it or not. I don't want to see it if its going to be on the slant it sounds like its aiming at because that will not be that enjoyable for me. Thanx for posting the new info though and I guess we will see what happens.

show 42 said:

What costly mistake did she make in Nagano? She skated beautifully in her long and Tara was no "underdog".............42

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Exactly. Tara was hyped from the minute she took off the rollers and put on the blades. Tara was no underdog.

Joe

Blurbs

The people who write the blurbs that promote the show often haven't actually seen the final cut. Their sole purpose is to convince you to watch.
Linny

Lucy25 said:

Michelle Kwan is an Olympic Silver and Bronze medalist and a World Champion many times over, but her path to even greater glory and Olympic Gold has been blocked by underdog competitors and her own costly mistakes.

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Sarah Hughes definetely was an underdog but Tara only in the sense that Michelle was the 1998 National Champion and she won the short programme over Tara in Nagano Olympics. On the other hand I believe that although it was seen as some possibility for Nagano that Tara might win, the majority of hype, etc. was though definetely for Michelle to win between these two skaters.

I hoped that Michelle would win the freeskate and the Nagano gold, but have to say that her skating was not as good as it could have been, especially the presentation. She was not on, so to speak, and did not win the judges over to her as normally. I would also say that her freeskate programme presentation to be successful needed sensitivity that somebody with a normal Olympic nervousness will find very difficult to produce.

By her own costly mistakes they probably mean e.g. that Michelle dumped her coach a short time before the SLC Olympics.

Marjaana

costly mistakes

I doubt that the biographers (or at least the marketing person who wrote the words "costly mistake") were even aware that Michelle had change coaches.

It is possible, though, that Tara could be considered an underdog since she had placed behind Michelle at USA Nationals.

Linny

Maybe they are just saying that Michelle's the better skater which is true.

These biography shows are usually pretty good - seems like I may have watched one on Scott Hamilton. For a big star, Michelle actually keeps a pretty low profile and it will be interesting to see if we get anything new here.

Linny said:

I doubt that the biographers (or at least the marketing person who wrote the words "costly mistake") were even aware that Michelle had change coaches.

It is possible, though, that Tara could be considered an underdog since she had placed behind Michelle at USA Nationals.Linny

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I'm not sure but didn't Tara win gold at the PreOly Worlds in 97? and she was going into the 98 Olys as the reigning World Champion?

Joe

Exactly, Joe..........as reigning World Champ, Tara could hardly be considered an underdog. Michelle's win at National's that year was inspired, a once in a lifetime experience that everyone thought she would recreate at the Oly's....she was her own "tough act to follow"............42

Yes Tara did win gold at the 97 World Championships. Kwan placed second that year at Worlds. She was fourth after the short program. She was still dealing with her meltdown at Nationals. However Kwan came back during the free program. She skated perhaps one of her best skates even and landed a triple-triple combination. She finished 1st in the freeskate. However because she was in fourth after the short program ahe was unable to control her own destiny and finished second overall.
In the 97-98 season Kwan beat Lipinski in each competition prior to the Olympics as I can recall. I only remember them competing against each other during Nationals and Skate America. They did not compete against each other during the Grand Prix Final which at the time was called the Champion Series Final which Tara won. Kwan was unable to compete due to her stress fracture. Lipinski also lost to Hubert during Lalique that year.

Kwan's stellar performance at Nationals immediately made her the favorite at the Olympics I wanted Kwan to win badly as well. While I do think Kwan was justly titled the favorite. I don't think she should have been titled the favorite by as much as she was. Afterall Lipinski was the reigning world champion. However prior to the Olympics, a clean Lipinski was never able to beat a clean Kwan. I am still annoyed by Scott Hamilton's comment during the Ladies Long program preview in which he said Kwan can probably get away with one if not two mistakes and still beat Lipinski. I as a Kwan Fan actually believed him and I realize I was wrong to do so.

I for one can't wait to see Michelle's biography. I have been waiting for this for a long time. I am surprised it is so soon.