Smarty Jones and Michelle Kwan | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Smarty Jones and Michelle Kwan

I for one am a skating fan first and foremost and will not desert the sport once MK has turned pro. However there was a recent thread somewhere that showed an alarming number of people saying they only watch because of Michelle and once she goes so will they!!

:(
 
There is a thread or two on Smary Jones in Le Cafe. I hope this thread on the SPORT of Figute Skating doesn't get lost in the world of Racing.

Joe
 
Here is another parallel I thought of. Some analysts are raising the question of whether Smarty Jones' handlers erred by not working Smarty full-out on the actual track. In fact, I don't think he had ever run that length before. (Maybe it was a mental thing. When he finished the first mile and three furlongs he thought the race was over -- why am I still running?)

At 2004 Worlds, as I understand it they switched the time and the venue of the first ladies qualifying group, so that the skaters did not get a chance for full practices on the ice on which they had to complete. When they showed up to skate, the ice was harder than they had prepared for and the first few skaters (Fumie, Michelle, etc.) had a splat fest.

Mathman:)
 
I think if Smarty had had a RACE over the track, it might have made a difference. A workout wouldn't have helped him much. The thing is, the Belmont oval is 1.5 miles around--once around the track--much bigger than the average track which is usually 1 mile (8 furlongs) or 1.25 mile at most.

The turns at Belmont are wide and sweeping, and a horse not used to running there may not recognize just how far away that finish line is. Smarty blew his wad before he hit the stretch, and he was easy prey for a horse who'd been taking it easy at the back of the pack to pass tired horses, including Smarty himself.

The ironic thing is that if it had rained as it had been predicted to do, Zito would have scratched both of his horses---and Smarty would be a Triple Crown winner. A little thing like the weather can change everything!

At 2004 Worlds, they did change the order of the groups skating first. Not only that, but apparently the ice was laid over a painted concrete surface, and the paint was leaching up onto the ice, making for very slippery conditions.
 
skatepixie said:

As for Sasha. I see her pushing the sport. Artistically she is the best out there right now, IMO and she is working on the quad and a 3/3. So I see that as pushing the sport...
Click to expand...

What you think is artistic others may not. I do not think Sasha is anywhere near the best artistically.

Working on quad and 3/3. There has been this huge hype about the quad for years. Even as late as Oct 03 the hype machine was working overtime, some writer for a local Reading PA paper was still talking about Sasha trying to be the first lady skater to land a quad in competition. Ando landed the first quad in competition more than one year before that. About 3/3, yeah news for you Arakawa, and Ando are consistently landing those, oh they have real triple lutz too.

The Japanese ladies are quietly working on their quads and 3/3, I see they are pushing the sports, and pushing Cohen.
 
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Joesitz said:
The commentators are saying that Racing needed a good push to regain its popularity. Smarty Jones was going to give it that push but sadly, it did not happen.

With figure skating wallowing in the doldrums, I would think that a Michelle win would give it the boost it needs to get back into the game after all that scandal business.

I doubt Shizuka, Sasha or Irina could give it that boost in the US.

Please!!! I am not gushing or bashing here. I am concerned about the Sport and in this instance I believe Popularity counts. If you think someone other than MK would give the sport the needed boost, please discuss.

Joe
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I just read your post, Joe. IMHO, Smarty Jones gave the sport of racing a wonderful boost in popularity. SJ was the "People's Horse", plain and simple, a horse that was raised under relatively humble circumstances in suburban Philadephia. His trainer was someone who obviously trained him with a heart of gold, and his owner and family were folks who clearly loved horse racing, and they loved Smarty Jones. SJ's Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories were smashing! Hordes of adoring fans dressed in Smarty Jones t-shirts showed up at Belmont to cheer "their" horse. I sure wanted him to win, too. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. The race was broadcast just a hour or so after President Reagan's death was announced. When SJ finished second, the crowd looked shocked, silent, and disappointed. People seemed to take SJ's loss personally, and not just from the betting point of view.

As for Michelle Kwan, I think she's the "People's champion" in many respects.
She comes from a modest background. Her immigrant parents had to mortgage their home to pay for figure skating lessons for Michelle and her sister Karen. Michelle's consistency and excellence through more than a decade of appearances at US Nationals and Worlds are something to hold in awe, if not at least hold in high esteem. I remember seeing Michelle skate as a skinny 12-year-old at the 1993 US Nationals. There was something about her that seemed to say, "Look at me, folks. I love to skate, and I'm going to become a champion some day." And boy, did she ever skate and become champion!

The only thing missing from Michelle's trophy case is the Olympic gold medal.
I would LOVE to see her win in 2006, and I believe she can do it, IF she skates
two powerful, superbly choregraphed programs, and lands a triple/triple combo in her long program. An Olympic victory for Michelle would be the icing on the cake to a marvelous competitive career.

OK, I'll stop gushing.
 
Latest on Smarty

Just so you'all know the latest, Smarty will NOT be racing next year. The cost to insure him was too exhorbitant. He was going to finish this season with the Pennsylvania Derby (held at his home track), the Breeders Cub (in Texas) and one other race... then retire to stud.

However, a bruise on his foot has taken him out of the Pennsylvania Derby (coming up Sept 6). He's on target for the Breeders Cup Oct 30.

BTW, I find the entire comparison of a race horse to a skater pretty funny. There are no skaters who will be retired to stud.

Linny
 
Linny said:
BTW, I find the entire comparison of a race horse to a skater pretty funny. There are no skaters who will be retired to stud.
Linny
Click to expand...

ohmcgosh - What were you thinking? The comparison had to do with a crowd drawer- nothing more nothing less. If you think MK does not draw a crowd, that's ok too.

JOe
 
Making a Funny

Just making a funny, Joe. If Michelle retires to stud (actually, she'd become a brood mare), then I believe Mathman would hope for benefits.
Linny
P.S. With many of the high performance mares, they never become brood mares. Their most fertile time of life is also the most productive for their performance... so their eggs are harvested to avoid the mare's having to take a year off and loose her girlish figure.
 
I don't think an Olympic Gold for Michelle Kwan will make any difference to figureskating. I think figureskating is just going through an unpopular period which could be due to the judging scandals and also lack of sensational news.

As far as Michelle winning the gold in 2006, personally, I will just shrug and think "it's about time"! I don't believe an Olympic Gold will make Michelle nor figureskating more popular. Also Michelle has stated in the past that she does not want to skate in shows. So, even if she does win Olympic gold, will she skate professionally on tour?

Dizzy
 
Linny said:
With many of the high performance mares, they never become brood mares. Their most fertile time of life is also the most productive for their performance... so their eggs are harvested to avoid the mare's having to take a year off and loose her girlish figure.
Click to expand...

In order for a thoroughbred to race in the US, it has to be conceived the old fashioned way. No artificial insemination, or test tube foals allowed. Now, they may be valuable for other equestrian sports, but they would never be allowed on the track. (Just ask your dressage mare what she thinks about that! :laugh: )
 
Dizzy - At this point in her life, I don't think MK cares one way or the other. I think she does want to skate in the Olys but winning is not a must. As for going "Pro", what ever that means. It can't mean money because she did better than all the others by remaining eligible

Maybe Disney will create Michelle Kwan and the Disney Ice Revue a la Sonia Henie.

Joe
 
I would hope that the number of skating fans and general masses interested in skating would increase and remain high because of this beautiful sport of figure skating. It should not matter who wins and who doesn´t, if it is the sport one is really interested in. If a sport needs one figure head and for this figure head to win to become, be or remain popular sport, it is in wrong tracks, in my opinion. On the other hand - as mentioned by somebody already -, this sport must be cleaned out and anonymous judging abandoned.

Marjaana
 
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Linny, in the recent cover story on Michelle in Women's Health and Fitness

http://www.jimhancockproductions.com/gallery1/pictures/Michelle_Kwan.htm

... er, I just happened to have a copy of this magazine laying around somewhere ... actually, this is a subject that I am quite interested in, you know, like keeping up with the latest fad diets, etc. ... no wait, I mean, I bought it for my wife...

Anyway, she says she wants to get married and have "three or four" kids when she is finished skating.

MM;)
 
3 or 4

Oh, my, 3 or 4 kids. Ambitious as always. Another poster pointed out that live cover must be used for TB races horses. Absolutely correct. One must assume that only Michelle's husband to be (when she chooses a husband) will know the full story.

For decorum's sake, methinks I must get my mind off the baser comparisons between figure skaters and horses. But there's an excellent best seller called "Stud" if anyone wants to read more details about procreation in horses.

Linny
 
I think the media need to keep up with the sport. That is what will keep people interested.
Ex: This year the most exciting events at worlds were by quite a long way men and pairs. The dance was still the french tv's priority because they seem to have forgotten that A&P have retired and that the french champ is now in the men's category, and they showed the ladies on saturday afternoon without even showing clips of the pairs. Joubert got a showing at 1am. How is he meant to create a french fan base? Other than the skating inconditionnals, and a couple of people in his home town who read the local papers no french person has ever heard of Joubert. They all knew about Candeloro and Bonaly ten years back.The pairs and the men, if well presentaed, would have made dramatic tv, all we got were sasha interviews and predictable performances, with shizuka's notable exception. The main point that was put foward by the commentators during the entire comp was that....sasha designs her own costumes. The only thing a random person watching it on tv will have remembered from the broacast. No wonder interest is dying.
In the US I gather they for instance failed to broadcast Lambiel and litter their programs with fluff pieces. Fluff is not just irritating for the hard-core skating fan, it's also unbearable to the person who simply wants to watch a piece of entertaining figure skating.
If the media put more thought into staging skating, IMO there would be plenty of interest.
 
millyskate - Much of what you say is true. The programming of events by the networks are really denigrating the sport. One doesn't have a chance to get to know so many skaters - many with talent - that never make the screen.

And it is so simple for the commentator to give a little fluff as the skter takes the ice including a question, will he make the quad. During the skate all he has to say is he made/missed the quad. or she flutz that lutz again. After the skate he could give a brief summary of his opinion of the skate. No special fluff plieces are needed.

As to the Men's and pairs, I have little to say about Pairs at dortmund except even with Zhao's fall, there was no doubt who was the better team, and imo, it was the best Men's ever. Just about everyone skated their LP as a best ever. Kevin vdp, Eman, and the British boy who was last after the SP skated so well, the aplause was deafinining No reason why we can't have that shown on TV, besides the usual suspects. The men's event was the best ever.

Joe
 
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