Will media allow Kwan to be happy with any medal this time?

[Kwanford Wife]

I must respectfully disagree with you. To predict something (whether it's an outcome, the weather, or what might happen next) takes thought, logic and analysis. Maybe all it takes is that "gut" feeling. Hoping something will happen is going with your emotions and totally disregarding logic. Man, if predictions really were hopes...every day would be a warm, sunny day!

Just to clarify...

A "gut" feeling is an intitution...

A prediction is to declair a result in advance (you can predict the winner of the Dance gold) but not necessarily base it in logic & analysis, unless you are talking about predetermine (which applies to skating...)

A hope is a belief in a result or trust in the process (skating fans know better though than to trust the process! )

A wish, though, is something your heart makes! (I wish it were hot & sunny all the time)

 

[nubka]

Are you serious? Why wouldn't Kwan have access to best in terms of training, equipment, etc...?

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Are you serious? Why wouldn't Kwan have access to best in terms of training, equipment, etc...?

Nubka,

No, I'm not serious. I was being sarcastic with most of those questions...

 

[Callystarr]

I don't care what anyone says. Call it optimism, but I want to see how Michelle Kwan skates (garnering she says she is ready) when she is for the first time since 1995, not even considered a favorite. Will she come out like a little supreme firecraker we saw between 1994-1996, where she seemed invincibile in her technical elements.....or will she finally be able to put together performances that rivaled her 1998 & 2003 US National Performances...I'm not saying she is going to win, but I'm saying...I would be a complete idiot to "sleep" on Michelle Kwan.

 

[Jaana]

Hmm....Michelle kind of stands out, with nine worlds medals, second only to Henie's ten.

MM

The huge differerence is though that with the exception of her first World medal Henie´s 10 medals were all golden and Kwan has 5 of them. Besides Henie won all her medals in successive years:

1926 silver medal and from 1927 to 1936 the golden ones.

 

[mzheng]

When compare done in peer's eye, what mattered more are placement and competetion fields, that's what critirials USFSA IC used to select the Olympic team. (someone at FSU posted a link to the USFSA IC's select rules, it said the placement and fields in those 6 competetions are used in their evaluating between the chosen skaters.)

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I know plenty of skating fans, RD, that have been fans as long as I have that absolutely believe that Kwan "can" win the gold medal. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Hope is always there, ya know what I mean?

swannanoa54 - I'm a Kwan fan and I do not think she will medal at the Olys so I can understand RD's exhuberance in digging up a collection of kwan-will-lose notices.

RD is more upset about HYPE than he is about the sport. I believe RD would appreciate equal amount of hype for Sasha and MK. That would be fair.

Joe

 

[Kwanford Wife]

I believe RD would appreciate equal amount of hype for Sasha and MK. That would be fair.

Joe

Life isn't fair... neither is figure skating.

The Kwan hype, whether fans like it or not, is good for the sport. I'm always facinated by fans who scream bloody murder at her fame... money for the sport doesn't grow on trees...

In terms of media attention though, wouldn't you agree that the majority of hype around Michelle has to do with her legend & petition while the hype around Sasha has more to do with her win at Nationals and a "can she deliever?" focus?

In terms of the sport, I'm not willing to bet the farm on Kwan winning the OGM, but I think its more than possible & probable that she will medal and I believe she will - based on the same factors that people use to discount her chances... injury plagued season, judges impression, debut of new program, last harrah, etc.

But whether you predict, hope, wish or pray ~ you cannot deny that the Diva who is Kwan will most likely be the biggest winner from these games... just like in '98 & '02 ~ even if it does have a more Susan Lucci feel than fans would like...

 

[Mathman]

Susan Lucci rules! Eat your hearts out, Days of Our Lives fans.

 

[Mathman]

The huge differerence is though that with the exception of her first World medal Henie´s 10 medals were all golden and Kwan has 5 of them. Besides Henie won all her medals in successive years.

Did you know that Michelle Kwan is the only figure skater ever to have regained the World Championship three times? 1998, 2001 and 2003.

And not only that, but she is the only skater ever to have relinquished her championship four times, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

Yay, Michelle!

 

[R.D.]

RD is more upset about HYPE than he is about the sport. I believe RD would appreciate equal amount of hype for Sasha and MK. That would be fair.

Joe

Upset, no. Tired, possibly.

Actually, MK can get all the hype she wants. I actually like it in a way.

 

[Jaana]

Did you know that Michelle Kwan is the only figure skater ever to have regained the World Championship three times? 1998, 2001 and 2003.

And not only that, but she is the only skater ever to have relinquished her championship four times, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

Yay, Michelle!

Well, while that of course is positive, I´m not so very impressed, because that means that she lost the title several times. In other words, she has not been a skater to rule, say ten years in every World competition like Henie did. Also Henie won 6 successive European titles, that means a win in every competition she participated.

 

[Rgirl]

Life isn't fair... neither is figure skating.

The Kwan hype, whether fans like it or not, is good for the sport. I'm always facinated by fans who scream bloody murder at her fame... money for the sport doesn't grow on trees...

In terms of media attention though, wouldn't you agree that the majority of hype around Michelle has to do with her legend & petition while the hype around Sasha has more to do with her win at Nationals and a "can she deliever?" focus?

In terms of the sport, I'm not willing to bet the farm on Kwan winning the OGM, but I think its more than possible & probable that she will medal and I believe she will - based on the same factors that people use to discount her chances... injury plagued season, judges impression, debut of new program, last harrah, etc.

But whether you predict, hope, wish or pray ~ you cannot deny that the Diva who is Kwan will most likely be the biggest winner from these games... just like in '98 & '02 ~ even if it does have a more Susan Lucci feel than fans would like...

Now see, I want to be more like you, Kwanford Wife, especially with lines like the Susan Lucci one.

BTW, ITA with your position on what the hype for Kwan and Cohen is based on. A little off topic, but have others seen the comparison between Sasha and the guy who does "Da Ali G" show on HBO, whose real first name is Sacha, in Time magazine (I think)? It's absolutely hilarious--and that ain't no opinion, that's a FACT!

Rgirl

 

[slutskayafan21]

I would say I hope Kwan has two great performances, but that had me thinking on one other thing. What would Kwan feel better with in the end:

1)If she skated 2 great performances and still did not win, or perhaps finished somewhere betwen 3rd-5th?

2)If she made some mistakes, so did not have the magic Olympic experience, but still made few enough mistakes to skate quite well, and finished somewhere between 3rd-5th and did not have that feeling, "this event was out of my hands no matter what I did" as she would in situation #1?

 

[Mathman]

Well, while that of course is positive, I´m not so very impressed, because that means that she lost the title several times. In other words, she has not been a skater to rule, say ten years in every World competition like Henie did.

Fritzi Berger was robbed in 1929!

 

[slutskayafan21]

Fritzi Berger was robbed in 1929!

From what I read on the Henjie era somebody was robbed of atleat 5 of the 10 World titles she won, and her 36 Oly title should have gone to somebody else hands down! Combine that with the much easier competition of the time and I dont sit and awe at her record the way some day as impressive as it is. I would putt Witt or Kwan over her anyday.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

From what I read on the Henjie era somebody was robbed of atleat 5 of the 10 World titles she won, and her 36 Oly title should have gone to somebody else hands down! Combine that with the much easier competition of the time and I dont sit and awe at her record the way some day as impressive as it is. I would putt Witt or Kwan over her anyday.

ITA... Henjie is legend of the sport, but comparing her titles during a period where the ladies skated in knee length dresses & didn't have a true technical componants... (not to mention the true elitist nature of skating "back in the day") is like comparing Julie Andrew's Oscar for Sound of Music to Charlize Theron's Oscar for Monster. Same prize, different performance.

but to each his / her own, I guess...

 

[rob43]

People we cannot discuss dominant skaters without invoking the name Carol Heiss.

5 straight world titles, 4 US, Oly silver and gold (although one might think a 2nd gold was arguable.)

I love Kwan & respect Witt but the former could have won and extra world or Oly title or two and the latter was more a great competitor than untouchable skater.

I've also seen discussion of some of Henie's 'luck'- and when all is said/done I think Heiss was the most dominant if not the greatest skater.

 

[slutskayafan21]

People we cannot discuss dominant skaters without invoking the name Carol Heiss.

5 straight world titles, 4 US, Oly silver and gold (although one might think a 2nd gold was arguable.)

I love Kwan & respect Witt but the former could have won and extra world or Oly title or two and the latter was more a great competitor than untouchable skater.

I've also seen discussion of some of Henie's 'luck'- and when all is said/done I think Heiss was the most dominant if not the greatest skater.

Heiss is very underrated. You dont hear near the talk of her as Fleming or Hamill.

 

[slutskayafan21]

ITA... Henjie is legend of the sport, but comparing her titles during a period where the ladies skated in knee length dresses & didn't have a true technical componants... (not to mention the true elitist nature of skating "back in the day") is like comparing Julie Andrew's Oscar for Sound of Music to Charlize Theron's Oscar for Monster. Same prize, different performance.

but to each his / her own, I guess...

Thank you, totally different era when Henjie skated than today, like the renaissance era of music vs the contemporary. Also as bad as judging can be these days, I dont think you could give yourself more cushion going into a major event by chasing a judge who didnt vote for your daughter at a prior event down the street with a broom.