Michelle Will Win at Nationals

SkateFan4Life · Jan 9, 2005

Fossi said:
When has Sasha EVER been the underdog at Nationals? People can post whatever they'd like, but the judges are itching to crown someone new and the media is waiting for a new darling.
Sasha hasn't lived up to her hype...yet. This title could easily be hers.

"Easily?" I hardly think so. Sasha Cohen has yet to skate two clean programs at Nationals. Typically, she skates a gorgeous short program, then ruins her chances to win by falling several times and/or making major mistakes in the long program. Her season so far hasn't been impressive - not for a skater with her talent - and IMHO it will be difficult for her to win this week. Certainly, she has the talent to do it, but she has to skate two clean programs - or at least not make more than one mistake in the LP.

Fossi · Jan 9, 2005

Red Dog said:
I really disagree with this. MK has nothing left to prove, really. Cohen still does. MK has the pressure but knows how to deal with it. She's been in this situation countless numbers of times and is better prepared IMO than Cohen..

??? I don't understand this thinking? This will be Sasha's 5th trip to Nationals. How could she not be prepared? My mistake, I think this will be her 4th trip to Nationals, because her doctor forced her to sit out in '01 when she wouldn't listen to Mr. Nicks. Right?
Also, even though she sat out Nationals, she still competed internationally. She should be prepared.

ritymeez · Jan 9, 2005

Fossi said:
??? I don't understand this thinking? This will be Sasha's 5th trip to Nationals. How could she not be prepared? My mistake, I think this will be her 4th trip to Nationals, because her doctor forced her to sit out in '01 when she wouldn't listen to Mr. Nicks. Right?
Also, even though she sat out Nationals, she still competed internationally. She should be prepared.

Michelle can be mentally and physically prepared for a competition. Sasha can be physically prepared but mentally... you be the judge of that.

R.D. · Jan 9, 2005

ritymeez said:
Michelle can be mentally and physically prepared for a competition. Sasha can be physically prepared but mentally... you be the judge of that.

This is exactly what I'm saying...Kwan is much better prepared than Cohen is to handle the pressure and put it all out there...

I'm sure Cohen is prepared...physically, that is. But it's all about the nerves when the crowd is screaming, you're up in first and you go out to the rink to do your routine...adrenaline takes over and this is the moment when those nerves either make you or break you. Cohen so far has let her nerves break her.

ChiSk8Fan · Jan 9, 2005

Michelle @ Nationals....

.....seems to nearly always be at her best. In 1997 she crumbled under the pressure of Tara's triple-triple combinations and hype and fell, but she was only 16 years old. In 2000 she fell in her SP on a triple toe loop and Sasha was the best that night (ironically, Sasha fell in the LP on a triple toe loop and couldn't hang on to win against Michelle's "Red Violin" virtuoso piece).

Otherwise, I believe she has shown she is very comfortable competing at Nationals, very comfortable in skating freely, and feels comfortable knowing the crowds love her skating. She should win by giving the best overall performance (as usual) regardless of any errors. I don't believe a clean Sasha beats a clean Michelle; all other factors (skating order, crowd support, etc.) will factor in, and Michelle is the more mature skater who invokes emotions in the crowd rather than "wowing" them. Michelle is the sentimental favorite.

Michelle Kwan first.
Kimmie Meissener second.
Sasha Cohen third.
Amber Corwin fourth.
Jenny Kirk fifth.
Angela Nikodinov sixth.

R.D. · Jan 9, 2005

I don't believe a clean Sasha beats a clean Michelle; all other factors (skating order, crowd support, etc.) will factor in, and Michelle is the more mature skater who invokes emotions in the crowd rather than "wowing" them. Michelle is the sentimental favorite.

ITA...Kwan just owns nationals; that's a fact. I don't see anyone else winning until she retires...

Tonichelle · Jan 9, 2005

Piel said:
Kwan will never in a million years win. The podium will be Cohen, Kirk, and Nikodinov. Skate Gods did you hear that? Kwan will lose. There, that should do it!

that podium would be a okay with me... in the reverse order :rofl:

roundboypete · Jan 9, 2005

Hands together, y'all, stomp your feet!
This here's a poem by Round Boy Pete

Shelly came to Portland with a whole new attitude,
Shelly came to Portland with her game face on!
Shelly told the others, "If you want to be the Champion,
That road goes through Kwan!"

Shelly strutted out for her pre-skate interview,
"I just wanna skate and have some fun!"
"Shelly, up the ante!" came the crowd's antiphony,
Now let's get it done!

Shelly brought her loop, it was a great big high one,
Shelly brought her Lutz, and she stayed off the flat!
Shelly brought her foot-work, her spi-ral, her split-jump,
"And that," said she, "is that!"

Shelly started smiling as she un-laced her skating boots,
Shelly started laughing as she let down her coif.
Shelly gave a wink to no one in particular,
"Yeah, I pulled it off!"

sh-boom boom.

Hikaru · Jan 9, 2005

Red Dog said:
ITA...Kwan just owns nationals; that's a fact. I don't see anyone else winning until she retires...

I hate to say it but I agree. In my book, a clean SP and LP by Cohen could beat Kwan, because every element that Cohen makes, to me it looks as if every detail for every position is well-managed, and different from what the majority thinks, I do feel emotion from Cohen. I think her problem is that when she makes a mistake, it reflects in her face and her overall skating, and it doesn't look as confident or commited as her short programs, that are usually clean (whomever tells me that they didn't feel any emotion in her Malagueña SP last season, I don't understand them so please tell me what is emotion then).

Kwan definitely owns Nationals, or as I love to call them, the Michell Kwan Lovefest of Figure Skating. Regardless of my impressions on Cohen, I doubt the judges would give her the victory even if she skates clean. Michelle not winning nationals, it almost as saying Plushenko not winning his nationals. Those things don't happen. Like you said, when she retires, someone else'll win.

R.D. · Jan 9, 2005

I hate to say it but I agree. In my book, a clean SP and LP by Cohen could beat Kwan, because every element that Cohen makes, to me it looks as if every detail for every position is well-managed, and different from what the majority thinks, I do feel emotion from Cohen. I think her problem is that when she makes a mistake, it reflects in her face and her overall skating, and it doesn't look as confident or commited as her short programs, that are usually clean (whomever tells me that they didn't feel any emotion in her Malagueña SP last season, I don't understand them so please tell me what is emotion then).

Different strokes for different folks, as they say. I don't think Cohen has that emotional appeal at all. That territory's already been claimed. And I really didn't get the goo-goo-ga-ga over her SP last season, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

mzheng · Jan 9, 2005

Hi, Round Boy Pete, wellcome post again.
I was wondering where are those cheering threads fold gone and if you are going to post some sheering song for Michelle.

You :rock:

and Shelly :rock:

Mathman · Jan 10, 2005

Red Dog said:
"... but that's a whole 'nother thing."

ITA! Indeed, one might go so far as to say, "that's another thing altogether."

MM (AKA, your humble servant, the crazy grammarian, LOL)

Casper · Jan 10, 2005

Red Dog said:
Different strokes for different folks, as they say. I don't think Cohen has that emotional appeal at all. That territory's already been claimed. And I really didn't get the goo-goo-ga-ga over her SP last season, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

I have to agree with you.

chuckm · Jan 10, 2005

Kwan comes to Nationals well-trained, and goes out on the ice with the intention to skate her best. Sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesn't, but she does skate with joyous abandon. She puts more into her skating than just jumps and spins, she puts herself into it.

Therein lies Sasha's challenge: to not only skate two clean programs, but to skate that FS with heart. That's what she needs to do to win at Nationals.

mzheng · Jan 10, 2005

From the ppl watched her practice. Even in practice you see a *whole* different Kwan when her music starts at her run through. She was all pumped up and into the mood of performance.

kyla2 · Jan 10, 2005

My Thoughts

First, Kimmie Meisner isn't in contention for gold even if Michelle and Sasha have a splat fest. It's down to Michelle and Sasha and which one is going to be first and which one second. I expect they will come out 1 and 2 after the SP. After that, it's either of their's to win or lose. If they both skate cleanly, I think the judges will give first place to Sasha. If Sasha has mistakes of ANY KIND, and Michelle doesn't, it goes to Michelle. If they both make mistakes in the long, then it gets interesting and all bets are off. I think Michelle's decision not to do the Grand Prix series has upset some poeple, even at the Nationals level. I know Sasha didn't do the series either, but I think they will attribute it to coaching and confidence issues. I hope that will not effect their judging, but one never knows in figure skating.

Grgranny · Jan 10, 2005

I don't care what anyone says, I want Kwan to win.

R.D. · Jan 11, 2005

kyla2 said:
First, Kimmie Meisner isn't in contention for gold even if Michelle and Sasha have a splat fest.

Gold? Definitely not. That third spot? You bet. :yes:

kyla2 · Jan 11, 2005

Third???

I am not even sure they would give Kimmie the nod for third yet. There are Jenny Kirk and Angela Nikodinov, who don't look like junior skaters on the ice. Kimmie has nice jumps but she still has a "juniorish" quality. She needs a little more seasoning and she has plenty of time. But if Angela and Jennie do really poorly (GOD forbid) they might give the nod to Kimmie. I would hate to see either of them do badly. It's time for both of them to have a great skate. They are long overdue. They are both such nice people, I hope they have a great night.

RealtorGal · Jan 11, 2005

I love Angela, but I don't think she's mentally prepared for this pressure cooker situation. In that case, I'd like to see Amber get the bronze and for once make the World team.

Michelle Will Win at Nationals

SkateFan4Life

Guest

Fossi

ritymeez

R.D.

ChiSk8Fan

R.D.

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

roundboypete

Hikaru

R.D.

mzheng

Mathman

Casper

chuckm

mzheng

kyla2

Grgranny

Da' Spellin' Homegirl

R.D.

kyla2

RealtorGal

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