Cohen Still Considering 2010 Games.......

[Ms.Anthrope]

I definitely think she should go! Go, and have a wonderful time commenting from the sidelines that is....

She is a wonderful silver-medalist, but I cannot imagine how she would compete at the Oly level again. I must admit, I was never a devotee of her skating, and to call her balletic, a true artist, feeling every note, is guilding the lily. Her musicality was very basic, and for me, she never developed her style past a certain point; she didn't grow artistically. That's ultimately ok, as figure skating is first a sport; I don't expect true art to show up in rinks around the country. Elegance and virtuosity, yes - art, no.

I guess there was a moment during the great Odette/Odile black/white Swan Lake program when she peaked for me choreographically and then I think she coasted on her extension and that damn I-spin ending every program. For me, she doesn't get the crown as the lady who pushed the boundaries of skating choreography out towards new territory. We now see everyone doing the ugly fan spiral (the fire hydrant! haha) and that ugly flat-footed I-spin. Fortunately, her legacy will not hinge on that one move.

I wish Sasha well - whatever she chooses to do. Acting.... not so sure that's her best route. She doesn't seem to have made much of an impact in the industry. Just my 2 cents.

 

[capcomop]

I have always wondered if Sasha landed jumps consistently in practice, actually.

I have no idea what she did in her own rink but from sitting at several SA I can tell you that the practices I saw the jumps were not all that much more consistent. She was not the worst jumper on the ice, but there was not much consistency and security.The whole quad hype was rather amusing. I sat and watched her practice dozens of them over two sessions. She fully rotated less then a quarter of them and, if I excused complete two foot landings, step outs and the type of underrotations that would get nailed under CoP she landed about 2. It wasn't happening in practice, at least at SA public practice sessions. Honestly Micheal Weiss was having better luck with his quad lutz :yes: Sarah Hughes was the one who seemed to be able to land everything with her eyes closed and hands tied behind her back but then make little errors in the program. Kwan's practices always made me nervous because her jumps seemed to come and go. You'd watch her struggle with the axel over and over and then in the program land a beauty. It seemed so much the opposite of so many skaters who could land everything in practice and then in compeition....

 

[feraina]

Kwan's practices always made me nervous because her jumps seemed to come and go. You'd watch her struggle with the axel over and over and then in the program land a beauty.

Maybe that's the secret to her long-term success. She was so tough mentally, that she not only didn't let mistakes creep in competition under stress, but she actually skated better than in practice. Otherwise, she would've had to train a lot harder in practice (not saying she didn't, but if she skated worse in competition than back home, then she would've had train harder on a day-to-day basis to achieve what she did), and maybe then injuries would've done her in even earlier.

Kinda reminds me of Serena Williams in tennis, who always seems to be a threat even when she's been off the court for months.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I have always wondered if Sasha landed jumps consistently in practice, actually.

I think generally her problems in skating a clean LP, or 2 clean programs in one competition, were thought of as "mental" -- nerves or whatever. But I have heard it suggested on another forum, and find the idea compelling, that actually Sasha was pushing the edge of her abilities in competition.

That is to say, she had to plan a certain jump content to hope to be competitive, but perhaps she wasn't all that reliable on those jumps even in practice. .

i have often wondered the thing. how much is nerves and competition pressure and how much is not being able to do the jumps? I think that Sasha was very consistent in practice though. She almost never missed during the SP, where she always had a flip and a lutz combination. The fact that she practiced 3/3's, quads... make me think that she had no jump issues at home ice. I have never been to a pratice session with her skating... has anybody here been to a worlds or nationals practice when sasha skated? that is the person to ask.

also, when sasha didn't skate well in competition you could tell she was not pleased and that she was thinking "i could have done better." when other skaters like bebe fall once or twice they still are smiling at the end, because that was a good job and perhaps that is the best they could have skated.

 

[dorispulaski]

Boy, it's been a while, but I seem to remember that Sasha would have a mistake or two in practice. Some of her problems stemmed from inconsistent jump technique. You would from time to time see her land on the wrong edge. And her technique for her flip and lutz was exactly identical. You absolutely could not tell the jumps apart, except from her protocol list. She would surely get edge calls.

BTW, I was at Worlds 2003 and Nationals 2002 at practices, when Sasha was skating.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I've watched Sasha skate at cheesefests, GPs, Nationals and Worlds and all them LIVE. She would always make a big splash (not necessarily great technique) in her Short Programs. Sasha would show off her flexibility and wow the audience often. She had excellent chances for gold medals in so many competitions, but she was not tough mentally as some post above seems to think. The gold just slipped by at the time of the moment of truth.

what does it really matter what happened at practices of any skater?

Sasha's outer shell always showed her to be feisty and I believe that continues today. Somehow, I think she is less than sincere in her goals. I think TT saw that too. Sad.

Joe

 

[Lonewolf]

I think she is less than sincere in her goals.Joe

I agree, Sasha is at a crossroad in her life. She still loves skating but she also has to think about her future. She knows competitive skating is coming to an end – but not yet, so she holds on to the dream – say skating in one more Olympics for an Olympic gold, and so on. Reality, I don’t think, has quite caught up to her and until it does, she will hold on to this dream.

 

[Winnipeg]

Not this again.

My thoughts exactly and yet..................here I am reading the thread:scratch::sheesh:

 

[Winnipeg]

I agree with the poster re Sasha spent too much time show casing her flexibility (which is truly amazing) and that resulted in too little time on the other aspects...........

 

[R.D.]

Somehow, I think she is less than sincere in her goals. I think TT saw that too.

I think that says it all, and is the single most telling statement in this thread.

I also think that it stems from her desire for attention- by saying she's a possibility for 2010 she KNOWS that she will still be talked about (this thread is pure evidence, taking up space on a board that SHOULD be hyping up the 2008 worlds). OTOH, if she said she was done, or even that it is unlikely (which we in the "skating circle" know already) then the focus would solely be on the new skaters. Keeps her in the discussions, etc. Hate it personally, but come to think of it, kind of wise on her part to do this. I completely agree with the above statement- she doesn't come across to me as genuine at all IMHO.

My thoughts exactly and yet..................here I am reading the thread:scratch::sheesh:

Yes. Exactly. Her ploy for attention definitely is working.

 

[jennylovskt]

My thoughts exactly and yet..................here I am reading the thread:scratch::sheesh:

Yes. Exactly. Her ploy for attention definitely is working.

I know this is none sense to talk about Sasha's coming back, yet I keep coming back to read it when there are new posts. Just like Johnny Weir, it's working.

 

[PolymerBob]

OK, let’s review what we have learned in this thread.

1) Sasha can not return to competitive skating.
2) She is not a particularly good show skater.
3) She can not make a career out of acting.
4) She is not articulate enough to do commentary.
5) She is not sincere in her stated desires.

Very well then. Is there anything that we, the posters on this board, believe that Sasha is good at? Is there anything we believe she can make a living at? :sheesh:

 

[chuckm]

Sasha can continue to make a living as a show skater because it is her flexibility that wows audiences. Those of us who are in the know about skating aren't the bulk of the ones who buy tickets to see her. There really isn't anyone other than Sasha who would be an appropriate headliner for SOI anyway.

I don't think Sasha is sincere about returning to eligible skating. She brings this up from time to time as yes, a publicity generator. Sasha doesn't have the training chops to perform a miracle (i.e., get back her jumps and competitive stamina) in just 7 months.

She doesn't speak well enough to become either a commentator or an actress, and unless she takes the time to work extensively with a voice coach, she will see opportunities dry up as time goes on.

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

1) Sasha can not return to competitive skating. Agree
2) She is not a particularly good show skater. Not sure but possibly disagree
3) She can not make a career out of acting. Agree/might get small roles but that's it
4) She is not articulate enough to do commentary. Agree
5) She is not sincere in her stated desires. So agree

I was never wowed by her skating, but I do think that she can become a more successful show skater given time. She is flexible & as long as people don't get tired of it, she has something to show.

 

[netnuts]

The vitriol towards Sasha in this thread makes me want to :banging:

She's a great skater who has changed the ladies' way of skating forever. Without Sasha, we probably have to endure the same old sloppy female skaters on ice with bad posture.

 

[Mathman]

Actually, I don't feel sorry for washed-up jocks when their sporting days are over. Number one, they have made more money in their few years of competing than I will make in my whole life (Sasha has already made a bundle -- I even bought a Citizen's watch (had to pass on the nose spray, though) -- and will make a lot more before her run with Stars on Ice closes).

Second, if you ask, what will they do afterward? they are no worse off than anyone else. They can go back to school and learn a trade, or they can go out and get a job. Or, they can do what most other people can't -- live happily ever after on their investments.

Take Michelle Kwan for instance. She can use her connections with the East-West bank to open and operate a string of skating rinks. She can run for Congress and get her pals Condoleezza Rice and Arnold Schwartenegger to campaign for her. The sky's the limit!

 

[netnuts]

.Take Michelle Kwan for instance. She can use her connections with the East-West bank to open and operate a string of skating rinks. She can run for Congress and get her pals Condoleezza Rice and Arnold Schwartenegger to campaign for her. The sky's the limit!

I'd love her to run as a Republican, just to piss off those skating fans many of whom are limousine liberals.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I don't think anyone is bashing Sasha. Most of us are just saying she was unable to get a significant gold medal when she looked like should could.

But, influencing skating has always been a progression of skaters since even before Sonia Henie. I think of Denise Bielman who combined ballet-like posture with an acrobatic trick, and from then on acrobatics was the way to go.

Joe

 

[PolymerBob]

Actually, I don't feel sorry for washed-up jocks when their sporting days are over. Number one, they have made more money in their few years of competing than I will make in my whole life (Sasha has already made a bundle -- I even bought a Citizen's watch (had to pass on the nose spray, though) -- and will make a lot more before her run with Stars on Ice closes).

That is very true for many other athletes, but I think not for most skaters. Aside from Michelle and Sasha, I can't think of a recent American skater who has done well with endorsements, which is their only possible source of significant money.

 

[Kasey]

Well, that's just cute.