TIME Magazine Favors Meissner

[Jaana]

I think that Kimmie has a very little chance for a medal and no chance for the gold. Hughes had won a bronze medal in Worlds and Tara was the reigning World champion as they won their Olympic gold medals, Kimmie lacks international merits as she has not even competed at Worlds.

 

[gkelly]

But, again, I may be wrong, but didn't Michelle win the free skate at '05 Worlds, which was COP? True, she finished fourth, primarily because she skated a bad Q round, but IMO a good reporter would have noted that she won the '05 Worlds FS under the COP--unless I'm thinking of '04, which was 6.0.

Kwan was 3rd in the free skate in Moscow, and 2nd in the free in Dortmund, with several 1st-place ordinals.

 

[gkelly]

Who wouldn't? Never heard anyone debut on Olympic ice, anyone?

For the season? I think the Duchesnays did in 1992. They may have skated at French nationals, but not internationally that year, except the Olympics.

I loved them and I think the silver medal was a successful result for them, but I know they were disappointed with it, hoping for gold.

 

[attyfan]

I thought both Shizuka and Miki have changed their programs, so won't they also be debuting their programs on Oly ice? Certainly, S/Z will be doing the same.

 

[Zanzibar]

I read the Time cover story and didn't get the feeling it was favoring Kimmie. Rather, Time lucked out the last time around when they put big longshot Hughes on the cover, and I'm sure they're thinking...why not...lightning could strike twice.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I thought both Shizuka and Miki have changed their programs, so won't they also be debuting their programs on Oly ice? Certainly, S/Z will be doing the same.

I think Shiz and Miki are going back to music they had done better with.

I think Sasha, Jeffrey, Johnny, are also using past musics. Any others?
Irina and Kwan are using new music for the Olys.

Joe

 

[chuckm]

Shizuka is going back to "Turandot", but Miki had a completely new program choreographed for her by David Wilson. Sasha also had her "Romeo & Juliet" program rechoreographed by Wilson; she debuted it at Nationals but will be skating it for the first time before ISU judges at Torino.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Shizuka is going back to "Turandot", but Miki had a completely new program choreographed for her by David Wilson. Sasha also had her "Romeo & Juliet" program rechoreographed by Wilson; she debuted it at Nationals but will be skating it for the first time before ISU judges at Torino.

I thought the original question was about the use of previous music not a revised program.
I think Johnny and Jeffrey will also add to their previous musics.

Joe

 

[Ogre Mage]

I think the Times is onto something here. I definitely think Kimmie can be a bigger spoiler than everyone thinks. She doesn't have to be a world medalist or whatever other BS everyone is spouting. And if a medal in previous worlds is the criteria, then I guess Michelle isn't goingto do very well in these games b/c she wasn't on the podium.

Please. It's one thing to have finished 4th or 5th in the previous years Worlds. It is another thing entirely to have never even SKATED at Worlds in your career, which is Kimmie's situation. She finished 5th in both of her GP skates -- not impressive. Furthermore, the Olympics is being contested under CoP. If it was 6.0 which tended to reward 3/3s more, I would give Kimmie an outside shot. But CoP emphasizes spins, spirals and footwork just as much and in these areas, Kimmie is noticably behind the top skaters. And as chuckm said, her so-so components scores on the GP show that the handwriting is on the wall.

 

[attyfan]

I thought the original question was about the use of previous music not a revised program.
I think Johnny and Jeffrey will also add to their previous musics.

Joe

I just wonder how important it will be that Kwan is debuting her program at Olys when she is not the only skater doing so. Also, does anyone know if it has ever happened before where at least three skaters are debuting new programs (whether or not the music is news) at the Olys?

 

[R.D.]

I just have one thing to say: after the Olys, we'll see who has the last laugh.

 

[R.D.]

Another thing. A good reason to have any doubts on Cohen:

She sounds like she really WANTS that OGM. And you know what that means; it may cause her to go conservative at a time when she really can't afford to be. It may cause her to skate "not to lose" rather than "to win". And we all know that that's a no-no, ESPECIALLY at the Olympics. Look what wanting that OGM did to Slutskaya and Kwan in 02. If those two tough cookies couldn't deal with it, there's nothing to make me think Cohen can. She hasn't even been able to skate with abandon with the pressure OFF. If someone else has the skate of their career, consider it over for Sasha.

As for Kwan, it seems like she might be in a better position to attack. What's working against her is her lack of [Cop] experience. And it's her own fault for that, really. Even if she was injured now, had she done the GP in 04 and 05, (or even just 05) I'd be feeling a lot better. I'm sure she would have, too.

And Irina. She's the favorite, and I'm sure she wants to win, too. I wonder if this will cause her to tighten up again just like 02. Or she could have learned from 02 (and her setbacks) and just say this is it, I'm going for broke. And if she's clean, COUNT on her to be the OGM winner. Doesn't matter what any of the other skaters do- the judges will be sure to inflate her scores enough for her to win.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I just wonder how important it will be that Kwan is debuting her program at Olys when she is not the only skater doing so. Also, does anyone know if it has ever happened before where at least three skaters are debuting new programs (whether or not the music is news) at the Olys?

Other than Kwan, who are the other two debuting new music?

Shizuka, Johnny, Jeffrey and Sasha all had used their music previously. They're not new. Augmenting their program is understandable. More than likely, tweaked.
Joe

 

[R.D.]

Didn't Kwan use "Rach" at the 2002 Olys? And during another season?

 

[Mathman]

Michelle Rachs -- her 1998 Olympic short program.

http://heatherw.com/mk/pics/rach/wsh_sit.jpg

http://heatherw.com/mk/pics/rach/9724634.jpg

This is the program which Peggy Fleming called the perfect SP. It raised the bar as to what a short program could aspire to. There have been many imitators since, but this is the one!

MM

 

[attyfan]

Other than Kwan, who are the other two debuting new music?

Shizuka, Johnny, Jeffrey and Sasha all had used their music previously. They're not new. Augmenting their program is understandable. More than likely, tweaked.
Joe

In terms of new music, only S/Z and Kwan. A new program, though, I would think, would have the same problem even if the music is previously used. In Miki's case (for example) the fact that she skated a different program to the same music won't help her muscle memory with a new program.

Red Dog:
"Didn't Kwan use "Rach" at the 2002 Olys? And during another season?"

Rachmaninoff is a composer, not a program. Michelle used one of his works (actually a blend of two works) for her Oly SPs in both '98 and '02; his "Prelude" (her FS for this year) is a different piece altogether.

 

[R.D.]

Red Dog:
"Didn't Kwan use "Rach" at the 2002 Olys? And during another season?"

Rachmaninoff is a composer, not a program. Michelle used one of his works (actually a blend of two works) for her Oly SPs in both '98 and '02; his "Prelude" (her FS for this year) is a different piece altogether.

ok, I see. Thanks for clarfying.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

Come on, already. Time magazine did NOT favor Kimmie Meissner over Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen. Give me a break.

 

[chuckm]

I am sure Miki Ando is debuting an entirely new program at Torino. "Funny Valentine" is DEFINITELY out, and that is a good thing.

Miki has changed programs midstream before. Last season, after finishing off the podium at the GPF, she switched back to "Firebird" for Worlds. That proved to be a bad decision.

 

[jenaj]

For the season? I think the Duchesnays did in 1992. They may have skated at French nationals, but not internationally that year, except the Olympics.

I loved them and I think the silver medal was a successful result for them, but I know they were disappointed with it, hoping for gold.

Sarah made major changes to her LP after Nationals in 02 and debuted the new, improved version at the Olympics. Shizuka is going back to Turandot, but will have to retool it for COP--another Olympic debut. Miki Ando will be debuting her new long program at the Olympics. This is not such a big deal as this article and Peggy make it. Michelle is a seasoned veteran who should have no problem skating a program for the first time at a big competition.