Is this thread Sasha Cohen Dissected 2003?
Helllllllllo RGirl
You know I have been waiting for a long time to revisit this type of subject......you know you have been waiting too.....just waiting to discuss this with me again. The thing that makes this so wonderful is that YEARS have passed since we first dissected Sasha Cohen after Idle placed a photo of a beautiful porterhouse in a thread about her pushing beef to convince everyone that she does eat regular food and has no eating problems (she is gymnast thin by genetics and exercise at this time, and still lacks a more curvacious, feminine figure, but I assume she will fill out eventually).
We can now discuss the history of a skater we both saw develop to this point who's career was discussed in its entirety on GS. Sasha herself has provided the huge, bonfire-sized pile of fuel for discussion, and you have touched on truthful points of many facets in your post----opening the door for an intense dissection of her career to this point, and comparing it to what we said two years ago. SWSNBN would have to be present and correctly medicated to participate, but imagine if that personality was thrown into the mix here
I believe I have always maintained that Sasha's main problem in competing (not skating) has been herself, her personality, behavior and whimsical choices. She also shifts alliances based on short term goals, which are always her long term goals (to win the big ones, or at least get a medal at an international Worlds or Olympics). Actions speak louder than words, so her choices and performances now speak for themselves....no more talk about potential.
I believe I also maintained her similarity to Nicole Bobek from the very beginning. They both never learned a true triple lutz, fall repeatedly in important competitions, change coaches often after a shorter time doesn't produce jump consistency, and never chose a coach that can truely help them correct bad habits in their jumping. Both are gorgeous skaters and are known for their spirals. Bobek began the emphasis on spirals being spectacular, MK improved to stay competitive and mastered the change edge spirals, all the US women improved, followed by the world's competitors. Sasha brought in gymnastics and pilates into her spirals, completely perfecting them in position and improves her edge quality consistently.
It was always said of Bobek, "if she can hold it together and be consistent, she can win the whole competition, she has it all!" The same can easily be said of Sasha, and most of us have said it repeatedly, but Sasha continues to be a poorer competitor on the World, Olympic and even National stage than she is elsewhere. Why is that? We can only speculate, but it comes down to personality.
I believe Sasha is not yet mature, but has control over major decisions, and this leaves behind a pattern of seemingly illogical decisions. With Nicks, she was not yet mature in her transitions, edges and skating quality, and she never learned a real SINGLE lutz, let alone a triple. All she talked about was being the best right then, and she was aggressive with other skaters and the media. Lots of fanfare and big talk about 3-3s and winning medals at Olympics and Worlds, only to disappoint when all was said and done. Did she pick a new coach, as was needed, to help her jump technique? No, she picked a skating coach, who has GREATLY helped her learn and improve in the areas of her skating, but has not corrected her bad habits on the one thing all the skaters need---the difficult lutz and 3-3 combos. Sasha has always had trouble with her 3 toe also, and this continues to be a nemesis jump for her. Bobek also changed coaches often after she never stayed long enough to correct the real technical jump troubles and be consistent so she could be competitive.
Why did Sasha do this? Is MK in her head? Maybe. Sasha changes three weeks before a major event, just like MK did (but she was coachless) in 2001-02, and picks the one american coach to beat MK in the SLC Olympics. But this is probably based on geography---Wagner is in NY, and all the other coaches in the area are Russian/Ukrainian, etc. and Sasha may be shut out there and move back to California soon. We will see where her whim takes her in her search to beat MK when it counts, which is her long term goal (and short term goal).
I think Sasha has improved such a huge amount in her skating, edges, MITF, spins and flow under TT that it is rhetorical to discuss it here. She has become a magnificent skater, but her problem is in competing. Is MK in her head? Actions and outcomes speak louder than words, and the answer is definitely yes. She knows deep inside that MK is loved and considered by many as the best ever, even when she falls and disappoints. Sasha knows that even if she outjumps MK and skates her best, many will still like MK more, and in the public's eye, she can never be "better" than MK---she can only hope to outskate her. In terms of the judges, the CoP has helped her gain confidence in her abilities, but no CoP competitions yet with MK in the horizon, and she knows MK will get the 5.8s and 5.9s and be very hard to beat.
Knowing she can't be "better" than MK, Sasha only hopes to outskate her on the big night to win. She wants it right now, right now, this year, this year, right now...... but the pressure is enormous and since she never found a teacher-student relationship long enough with someone who can correct her jump technique to do the triples properly and spectacularly in combination, she falls and doesn't win her precious medal or title.
A vicious cycle produces which we have seen in other skaters who have the potential to be great competitors, but continually disappoint and never win what they work so hard to achieve. They change coaches, find the bad habits too hard to correct, fall down the ranks, change coaches again, cycle upward somewhat, return to bad habits, fall, and move on again-----never correcting what they need to correct to be strong competitors. Bobek. Bonaly----never fixed her skating quality and was stubborn about it and never won a World title or Oly medal. Tara changed coaches just long enough to win with in Nagano, and returned to her former coach. Never fixed her toe jump technique and was always injured and her career was short. Many wannabes exhibit this type of career decision making process, but the mature thing to do is work it out with a coach who obviously is good for you and stick with it and build a career.
Sasha is upset that she has a seemingly present mental block of competing against MK, so she changes coaches. She should be more patient and work even harder with TT et al, but the immature decision wins out, and it is a set back, because you have to start all over. If Sasha implodes this Nats and Worlds, she could blame the change to RW, and want to change her life again. Only more time will tell.
How is that for a start, RGirl? I think my prediction of a Bobek-repeat of history is drawing out to be a good analogy, and Sasha's worst enemy in the big competitions is Sasha herself.
But, she has become a magnificent skater.
AS
