agnes zawadzki reminds me of Tonya Harding

[R.D.]

Never got the hype about Agnes- she has high jumps, yes, but mentally she has a ways to go. She cannot keep blowing it in the FS- plus I hope she stays healthy.

That said- she's obviously in position to replace, say, Wagner as one of the Top Contenders in the US. Not convinced Zawadki will necessarily have more success, though.

 

[ivy]

My apologies for causing any offense.

My post was really directed to fairly4, who seems to be saying that Agnes is benefiting, and Christina suffering, from prejudices within the judging panel at Nat'ls this year, having to do with their race and skating clubs. Both of which should be irrelevant the outcome of the Nat'ls.

My poorly made point was trying to say: There are things that might prejudice me against Agnes - the club she trains at and the town where that club is located - both of which should be irrelevant my opinion of her skate. I did enjoy her skate and felt she was fairly placed at Nat'ls.

My hope was fairly4 might think - 'hey, here is someone who is culturally unconnected to Agnes, but thinks the judging was fair, maybe, just maybe, I should reexamine my premises'. You're probably right Spun Silver, I should have left culture out of it, but fairly4's concern is cultural so it felt like the appropriate response.

We all walk around with cultural baggage, whether we're fans or judges, the hope is that we can leave it off ice. I do believe the judges at Nat'ls did that.

 

[Serious Business]

And we all learned a valuable lesson in tolerance.

And also in not feeding trolls.

And also that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. If somebody wants to say that judges are racist, they better bring some real proof, home videos of those judges skating at a Klan meeting or some such. Otherwise, why even bother dignifying the claim?

Most judges aren't corrupt, biased or anything but trying to score competitions as fairly as they can under the system in which they labor. Any unfairness and biases are usually part of that system and not easy to hide.

If I was a judge and I had to score a skater I hated for personal reasons, I would do what any reasonable person would do, root for him/her to splat, then grudgingly score him/her fairly.

 

[blue dog]

As to rivalry comparisons, Christina/Agnes reminds me more of Tonya and Nancy. Christina reminds me of Nancy, in that she isn't as exciting a skater as Tonya is, to me. I don't get a feeling that she is pushing the envelope; she's a very safe skater. Agnes, on the other hand, because of the spring in her jumps, makes me feel excited when i watch her.

 

[FlattFan]

I don't see why you're so upset. The accusation of racism and homophobia is unneccessary on your part.

Clearly you have no idea what Spun Silver was alluding to. Definitely wasn't accusation of racism or homophobia.

 

[Spun Silver]

Thank you.

And ivy, I appreciate the handsome apology and explanation.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Yes, right on! :thumbsup:

But I rather view her as the *new & improved* Tonya Harding. Look at those thighs & slightly bowed legs exactly like Tonya, except Agnes is tall & lithe, but those powerful legs are just like Tonya's!

I love this kid, she has the most potential I've ever seen from an American lady since Tonya, can't wait to see what the future holds. But most importantly she's hungry, unlike some of these other pampered ballerinas. (;^)

I thought the exact same thing!! From her jumps to the dress and even that TH swag thing... it was like going back in time. I also appreciated that fearless look in her eye; she had oodles & ooodles of confidence - which when I'm being truly honest about US ladies skating seems to be the key issue. I shall be keeping an eye on this one.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It's refreshing to have a Tech skater around. I get so bored watching all those faux ballerinas on ice. Agnes, you go girl!

 

[SeaniBu]

It's refreshing to have a Tech skater around. I get so bored watching all those faux ballerinas on ice. Agnes, you go girl!

Completely agree. She tears it up. Something I liked about Kat Witt, Taylor Flirth, Danielle Kahle amongst some others, just the first to come to mind, that naughty by nature attitude (at least for the routine). Her "power" didn't really remind me of Tonya though - but I can see where that thought comes from. Best over all US nats I can recall for a long time.

 

[cloudkicker09]

I really enjoy Agnes' skating, what is this family situation that everyone keeps alluding too, and I do not see any resembelance between her and Tonya Harding. Tonya carried a dark cloud and did not have a good reputation within US figure skating, even before the incident. Anges' skating is fresh, clean, and her jumps are very powerful , she is a medal hopeful for Sochi for Team USA, its about time we put an American lady back on the podium.

 

[Spun Silver]

If Agnes reminds me of anyone, it's Joannie Rochette. Their body build is somewhat similar although Agnes is taller. Both are athletic skaters with big jumps who are also capable of artistry (unlike many who are best known for their jumps) even if they will never be ice ballerinas.

 

[BackStage Barbie]

I'm pretty new around here (I usually just read the threads) but I decided to post today. I think Agnes has fabulous technique and I agree that she needs improvement as an artist, but I think she has an X-factor, that special something you cannot teach. I think she has such spunk and when she is on her ice she seems perfectly at home, which is refreshing when other skaters look scared to death out there. She has a fire in her eyes when she skates, a hunger, and I think that will take her very far. What I also see in Agnes is a command over her body. She always seems completely in control of her movements. Christina has nice long lines, but after going through a growth spurt, she hasn't quite figured out how to control her limbs. I think these two ladies will really push each other to be better as they are relatively the same age/skill level.

 

[Nadine]

I really enjoy Agnes' skating, what is this family situation that everyone keeps alluding too, and I do not see any resembelance between her and Tonya Harding. Tonya carried a dark cloud and did not have a good reputation within US figure skating, even before the incident. Anges' skating is fresh, clean, and her jumps are very powerful , she is a medal hopeful for Sochi for Team USA, its about time we put an American lady back on the podium.

Regards Agnes & her family, the full details can be found over at IN, but unfortunately this board won't allow links to IN for some unknown reason? Let's see if I can post the links, then you can just copy & paste them into your browser. Here goes:

LINKS REMOVED BY GS DUE TO LEGALITY!


In the first link it talks about her hopes for her first Senior Nationals (landing her jumps) and also her family situation ~ her mother & grandparents live in a small 2-bedroom apartment ~ her grandparents share the master bedroom, Agnes the smaller room, and her mother sleeps on the couch in the living room. Her older brother still lives in Chicago. And her mother works as a nanny in Colorado Springs, so her retired grandparents are the ones that drive her to & from school. Kinda reminds me of Harry Potter. On a serious note, I wonder how they have managed to pay for it all these years? I mean she started skating at age 5. It does bear a similar ilk to Tonya Harding's humble beginnings. IIRC Tonya started skating at a similar age in the mall, and from there she was noticed immediately for her athletic ability. Therefore, she received help from patrons over the years, and her coaches took less pay, etc.

Oops, and the second link is a very long article from last year about her win at US Jr. Nationals (she dominated both phases of the competition), her surprise silver at Jr. Worlds after finishing 8th in the SP, and how training with good friends Rachael Flatt & Alexe Gilles has pushed her. Also, it states she is working on perfecting her 3T/3T & 3L/3T combos. & footwook, etc. Btw, her lone silver medal at 2010 Jr. Worlds was the only medal won by an American; also it helped earn 3 spots for the American girls this year.

GOOOOOOOOOOO AGNES!!!!!!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

figure skating is a 'priviledge sport'. Most skaters have no financial worries. For the lower and middle class, the kids may begin by imitating other skaters at the public sessions of a local rink. A skating teacher may catch one or two and invite them to a Group Session of Skating. The cost is usually manageable but the kids have to give up at least one movie a week.

 

[Nadine]

Yes, skating is definitely a "priviledged sport" that costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, so on the contraire it is not manageable for a single parent waitressing or being a nanny. In fact it is extremely rare for a blue-collar person to put their child in skating imho. The only one that I can think of that made it was Tonya Harding due to her exceptional rare talent being noticed by patrons/sponsors/et al. Also, Rudi Galindo managed it somehow.

But the others had *parents* that were well-off or had two jobs, etc. Examples:

Tara Lipinski (father, oil executive & lawyer)
Sarah Hughes (father, lawyer; mother accountant)
Kristi Yamaguchi (father, dentist)
Ryan Bradley (father, doctor)
Rachael Flatt (parents, nuclear scientists?)
Michelle Kwan (parents worked several jobs; grandparents owned a Chinese restaurant)
Nancy Kerrigan (father worked several jobs; mother blind)


Also, I'm wondering how Nicole Bobek made it, her mother being a single parent.

Sorry for going off-topic, but it fascinates me how somebody can get into this very expensive sport on a nanny's salary? There have to be other resources imho...

 

[mskater93]

Then there is Todd Eldredge who's town raised money for him to skate...

 

[Nadine]

Good point, in one of the articles I mentioned previously on IN, there was a "comment/post" from Agnes's Fan Club President (lol, didn't even know she had one) that mentioned an address to send donations to (sorry I can't find the article on IN now).

Oops, I did find this nice article about Agnes from our own GS, which appeared during the summer, so no wonder I didn't see it:

http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2010/071810.shtml


The reality I think is that plenty of skaters' families get in debt (those that are not wealthy, rather blue-collar), taking out second mortgages, et al, hoping that it will pay off in the long run. No wonder so many skaters go into shows, Disney on Ice, et al, in order to try to pay back some of those hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on their skating. We only hear the success stories, but I bet their are plenty of the opposite as well.

 

[SeaniBu]

Michelle Kwan (parents worked several jobs; grandparents owned a Chinese restaurant)

I wonder how you found this out? The book I just read said that her dad worked at Pacific Bell driving over 200 miles every day and Mother at "Chinese restaurant" (Golden Pheasant), but gave no mention of their parents owning it. However this book was published in 1995.

 

[Mathman]

^ Here is what Michelle says about i

http://books.google.com/books?id=A0...age&q=golden pheasant restaurant kwan&f=false

I think Mr. Danny Kwan continued to work for the telephone company and Michelle's grandparents mostly ran the restaraunt. The restaraunt is still there (in Torrence, California), but the Kwans have not owned it for some time now.

 

[SeaniBu]

^ Here is what Michelle says about i

http://books.google.com/books?id=A0...age&q=golden pheasant restaurant kwan&f=false

I think Mr. Danny Kwan continued to work for the telephone company and Michelle's grandparents mostly ran the restaraunt. The restaraunt is still there (in Torrence, California), but the Kwans have not owned it for some time now.

Thanks, maybe I should read some newer books? LOL!