Michelle - The End or a New Beginning?

[tannisming]

Give up what? I'm happier than ever at the outcome of Worlds and the upcoming Olympic season. Now alot of other fans seem to be a mite angst ridden to me.

 

[attyfan]

... I just thank God for the CoP no matter what happens at Turin. I think it will benifit the skaters who actualy came prepared.

I take it you mean that you think CoP will benefit "prepared" skaters in Turino the way it benefitted "prepared" skaters like Joubert, Arakawa, Rochette, and Plushy in Moscow?

 

[tannisming]

What will happen is alot of artistic fans will be pissed beyond belief at the end of next season.

 

[swannanoa54]

And if you're going to bring up Janet Lynn and the creation of the SP, that change came within the ISU itself b/c they wanted the most balanced skater to win the title and not a figures specialist to build up a huge lead.

Couldn't this same thing be said of COP? A skater can win the title by building up a huge lead in the SP with points while bombing their LP? But it can also give those in lower placements after the SP the chance to come from behind as well.

I think there are a lot of good points being made regarding Kwan throughout this thread. I still think she has a chance if she quits fiddling with her choreography, does at least one GP Series in front of the judges and listens to her coach. Other than that, I just like to watch her skate.

 

[Piel]

Do you mean the way that the Sasha camp stays pissed when Kwan beats her because the judges fail to reward her flexibility? Or the the way Irina is pissed when the "pig"judges don't reward her as she thinks they should? Isn't it strange that this past Worlds is the only competition in history where the judges got it right?

BTW you still haven't answered my questions from earlier in the thread. If you can't just say so.

 

[show 42]

I think there are a lot of good points being made regarding Kwan throughout this thread. I still think she has a chance if she quits fiddling with her choreography, does at least one GP Series in front of the judges and listens to her coach. Other than that, I just like to watch her skate.

Exactly, realistic..........well said........42

 

[Mathman]

So you're saying skating is an entertainment business?

???? Of course. What else could it possibly be? Scientific research? World diplomacy? Environmental engineering?

 

[curious]

Joesitz, I don't know if Michelle will retire this year but I am concerned that while certain aspects of her skating have improved (faster spins) her overall performances are declining. She seems unfocused to me. I am not sure why either. I believe her when she says she nailed the triple-triples in practices. But for the first time, she hasn't been able to bring them to the competition like she has in the past. I wonder if she isn't losing that mental edge that she has had all her competitive life, or perhaps her motivation. Or is it because she isn't doing the triple-triples as part of her complete run through of her programs? I don't know the answer. I think she has an excellent coach too, but does he push her like Frank did? Maybe he is afraid to push her for fear of ending up as an ex-coach? I am clueless as to where the truth of this situation lies. But I am seeing a trend that will be hard to turn around. For the past several years she has been watering down her programs and I am concerned that she will not be able to complete a loaded program with difficult choreography. Like you, I fear that she has too much catching up to do before the Olympics to be truly competitive. If she weren't travelling with the ice skating tour until August she might have a better chance to turn it around. Joe, I hope you are wrong about her retiring because 75% of the joy of figure skating will be gone for me. On a final note, I think Michelle Kwan is the greatest figure skater of all time, so I would love for her to retire on a high note.

yes,she is going to be 25 years old soon and I just don't see the competitive drive she had in the past.

 

[curious]

um soogar - If skating does not appeal to the average fan then the sport is in real trouble. Say goodbye to the second rate TV coverage we have left. Say good-bye to endorsements for skaters. Say good-bye to the financial machine behind the sport. Now of course the scoring system has to be true to skating standards, however skating standards better have face value with the average viewer. Trust me skate fans like those on these boards are not enough to keep skating in the media. And I think your very wrong that the average viewer can tell a complicated COP program is better than a clean not so complicated program. Many of the so called loaded programs this season don't look jam packed. Many don't look complex, they look forced, mechanized, positions look odd, and sometimes outright ugly. Just for fun just go and show Michelle's worlds SP and Irina's worlds SP to the average viewer and see if they can tell that Irina's is more jam packed, more difficult and so full of "well done other stuff" that she should have won. They won't buy it. Yes even casual fans of eligible skating do love the athletics and jumps, but they also love clean beautiful and emotional performances. And for the average fan they'll love that complicated jump - as long as the skater can land it - getting more credit because you tried and landed on your butt than someone who lands what they try - well that doesn't make sense to any average fan - and it doesn't even make any sense to me.

endorsements are probably one of the reasons michell does nationals.

 

[curious]

I believe it is the new beginning of the end. I hope MK stays around for the Olympics and skates in the GP next year before hand. I give very much respect for her for being smart enough to know what she needed. To go to the Worlds for ten years and medal everytime. It goes to show she was intelligent enough to stay injury free and have the longevity that she has had. Even if she never wins a Olympic gold she will be remembered a 100 years from now...As one of (or the most) decorated figure skater in history. I know years from now we will miss what she gives to the sport. I definately miss G&G and wish there were a pairs team like that again competing. It won't be the jumps we will miss but the passion of their skating..

michell was allowed to do so. she has been very lucky in that sense,but plushy irina and others can't take two or three years to rest their injuries. plushy was forced to skate at the gpf and euros so he had to withdraw from worlds.

 

[Piel]

michell was allowed to do so. she has been very lucky in that sense,but plushy irina and others can't take two or three years to rest their injuries. plushy was forced to skate at the gpf and euros so he had to withdraw from worlds.

They can if they choose to. Of course they may have to face whatever the Russian Fed decides to do but again they have a choice. If they decide to skate injured or ill rather than p*** off the Russian Fed it is no one's fault but their own. Maybe if a few of the elite Russian skaters would refuse to skate for a federation that is willing to sacrifice their health for medals they could help bring about change for the up and coming skaters. The coaches are to blame here too.

Kudos to Kwan for refusing to sell out her health.

 

[tannisming]

Nobody refusing to do the GP will be going to Worlds or the Olympics next season. I think Speedy has made that quite clear as well as the ISU.

 

[Piel]

I guess that means that in addition to the 2006 U.S title, World title, and OGM, Kwan will have to make room for even MORE Skate America, Skate Canada, and GPF medals .

 

[soogar]

Financially Michelle was able to take a break from GP events. Plush and Irina (and others) don't have that luxury.

I still don't see how competing in 2-3 GP events destroys the body. I think she's injury free b/c she doesn't do 3-3s.

 

[show 42]

I still don't see how competing in 2-3 GP events destroys the body. I think she's injury free b/c she doesn't do 3-3s.

.....and good for her for putting her health over a triple-triple jump. A valid point, but I'm thinking that competing in 2 or 3 GP events means constant training for these events. More wear and tear on body parts, I'm guessing.............42

 

[nymkfan51]

Nobody refusing to do the GP will be going to Worlds or the Olympics next season. I think Speedy has made that quite clear as well as the ISU.

Well, if that's what he intends, then he should put it in writing and make it clear to everyone ... before the GP rosters are set.

 

[mzheng]

Financially Michelle was able to take a break from GP events. Plush and Irina (and others) don't have that luxury.

I still don't see how competing in 2-3 GP events destroys the body. I think she's injury free b/c she doesn't do 3-3s.

Sasha diddn't do 3-3s she injured anyway remember?. Or not?
And how long Sasha competed at senior and how long Michelle?
Someone may prefer privacy too proud to make excuses on minor ones.

According to Phil Hersh's latest article. She's here make last run. But again most likely she'll stay out of GPs, as long as the rules allowed.

 

[Piel]

Financially Michelle was able to take a break from GP events. Plush and Irina (and others) don't have that luxury.

I still don't see how competing in 2-3 GP events destroys the body. I think she's injury free b/c she doesn't do 3-3s.

Well, you can't put a price on your health and anyone who sells out their health is just stupid.. Not sure what Collins pays them but I think that anyone could live on that for a year. Maybe not live as grand as they would like but I'm sure they could get by. If they are not happy with the Russian Fed's rules then maybe they ought to skate for a country that is more appreciative of their talents?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

According to the new item in GS, MK has just gotten another new endorsement at East/West Bank. Does she really lose the gold?

Joe

 

[Piel]

LOL Joe, like someone else said even when she loses she wins! I think that is a testament to the kind of champion she is.