Sasha Cohen's Reaction to Michelle Kwan's Withdrawal

registered · Feb 13, 2006

Piel said:
After seeing Katie interview Sasha with her Mom at the gellato shoppe the feeling I got from it was "how awkward". Katie seemed to be trying to give SC opportunities to send a get well message to MK. SC seemed intent on keeping the interview about her.

What do you mean by "Katie's been trying to give Sasha opportunities to send a message to MK?" How do you know Sasha did not wish Michelle a speedy recovery personally, since both are in Torino? Why in the world would she put Sasha on camera, just to talk about Michelle, no wonder it looked awkward. What could one expect here, a corny "I like you Michelle" responce from Sasha, while looking directlly into the camera???

"SC seemed intent on keeping the interview about her." Now imagine that, silly Sasha did she expect it to really be about her?

Piel · Feb 13, 2006

swannanoa54 said:
Oh good grief! So some people didn't like Sasha's comments and some did. Big deal! I don't much care for Sasha's public persona (and I really don't care for her skating which is all that matters anyway since I don't hang with her or anything ), but having met her with my family for longer than a quick second, she is a sweet person in private without cameras (well, except for ours of course) and she was very caring while talking to my daughter.

Isn't that why we post our OPINIONS...whether we agree or disagree with something that happens or is said?

IMO this was a chance for Sasha to step up as our National Champion and one of the representatives of our country to the Olympics and show that she has some of the same class that people all over the world have been complimenting Kwan on for the past 36 hours. A lot of times this is what determines if someone becomes a fan of a celebrity...their compassion toward other people.

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

Ogre Mage said:
This may possibly be true. However, given that you found my comments about Josee Chouinard not being able to hold Yamaguchi's sports bra to be "nasty," this statement is quite hypocritical.

Sorry, but I still think your statement was nasty. It was nothing but a cheap shot, in my opinion. If you take the time to read through this board, you will read a variety of opinions, and a number of people share my less-than-lofty opinion about Sasha as a person. The woman should have enough class to at least say something compassionate about her Olympic teammate withdrawing from the Olympics. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen.

Piel · Feb 13, 2006

registered said:
What do you mean by "Katie's been trying to give Sasha opportunities to send a message to MK?" How do you know Sasha did not wish Michelle a speedy recovery personally, since both are in Torino? Why in the world would she put Sasha on camera, just to talk about Michelle, no wonder it looked awkward. What could one expect here, a corny "I like you Michelle" responce from Sasha, while looking directlly into the camera???

"SC seemed intent on keeping the interview about her." Now imagine that, silly Sasha did she expect it to really be about her?

Well since Katie offered her a door of opportunity about as wide as Italy, IF Sasha wished Kwan well why didn't she take two seconds to say so? By not saying so I got the impression that she did not wish Kwan well. IMO this was bad manners.

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

rain said:
Like others here, I can't believe the tone of the initial post. What was Cohen supposed to do? Start wailing and rending her garments? I thought what she said — particularly the full-text version someone was kind enough to post, was a perfectly acceptable and gracious reply.

Of course, nobody expects Sasha to "wail and rend her garments". Give me a break. However, many of us would have expected Sasha to shown just the teeniest bit of compassion and express her regret about Michelle's withdrawal. No big deal - just show some heart and some human caring. Is that too much to ask? I think not.

registered · Feb 13, 2006

Piel said:
Isn't that why we post our OPINIONS...whether we agree or disagree with something that happens or is said?

IMO this was a chance for Sasha to step up as our National Champion and one of the representatives of our country to the Olympics and show that she has some of the same class that people all over the world have been complimenting Kwan on for the past 36 hours. A lot of times this is what determines if someone becomes a fan of a celebrity...their compassion toward other people.

I wouldn't call bumping a teammate out of the Olympics, in hopes she'd be able to skate well enough in time; throwing in a hoopla, that shook up everyone, from skaters to commentators, who had to handle questions, that had nothing to do with their own performance, at Nationals; not expressing a sympathy towards the state of health of a teammates, many of whom were skating, while sick; upstaging a teammate, calling in a press conference, when the other one had her's scheduled -- a show of class, but everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

Kathleen said:
Wow........touchy, touchy!! LOL

I'll I'm saying is that Cohen's PR person should have told her to say something nice and that would be the end of it. Like it or not, Michelle's withdrawing is a huge story. The fact that Katie Couric kept asking questions just goes to show you that the media is looking for comments, etc...from the athletes......particularly her competitors. You don't think they'll be asking Irina the same stuff??? Of course they will. The difference is that Irina will be classy and say something along the lines of how she is disappointed that Michelle won't be competing and wishes her a speedy recovery, etc.

I'm not bashing Sasha........just saying she could have handled things a lot better, and then topics like this one wouldn't even exist.

Thank you! I agree with you. Had Sasha said something kind along the lines of how she is disappointed that Michelle won't be competing and wished her a speedy recovery, I probably would have started a post praising Sasha for her classy reaction to this sad situation.

R.D. · Feb 13, 2006

Oh goodness. Give it up already. Cohen sounded (to ME) like she didn't really want to answer any more questions about MK. EVERYWHERE she goes, she's asked about MK. I took it she's probably as sick of the hype as many of us are.

OK, MAYBE she could have thrown out a little message or something. But she didn't. Does this make her a bad person? I hardly think so. I mean, even Emily didn't really say too much on that topic. I mean, she's excited to get this opportunity, and she should be! And Cohen is just trying to concentrate on herself. Fielding questions about Kwan doesn't really help, though.

So the message I'm hearing from you guys is: if you don't shed any tears for Kwan or pour out your heart to her, you're selfish, conceited, etc.

And how people conveniently forget little things. What did Kwan say to Hughes after bumping her off the team? She said she knows how she felt, etc. because she was in that position before. No tears, no "I'm really sorry" comment. And that's perfectly fine with me...and OK comment. Nothing different IMO than what Emily or Sasha said about Kwan today. People really need to stop patronizing Michelle.

end of rant...

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

soogar said:
Sasha did say something nice about Michelle which is in all the newspapers. Though I don't blame Sasha for being annoyed about having to answer a questions about Michelle. Sasha is the favorite for gold and is the star of the American team, not some has-been who couldn't skate in Nationals. Plus Sasha always has to answer questions about Michelle for the past 4 years. I bet now that Michelle is out of the picture, Sasha is going to seize the moment and win Olympic gold.

Well, Sasha will have one less competitor to stand between her and the gold medal. I respectfully disagree that she is the "favorite", however. She is definitely a favorite for a medal, but the gold medal favorite still seems to be Irina Slutskaya. However, perhaps Sasha will seize this opportunity and win the gold medal.

registered · Feb 13, 2006

Piel said:
Well since Katie offered her a door of opportunity about as wide as Italy, IF Sasha wished Kwan well why didn't she take two seconds to say so? By not saying so I got the impression that she did not wish Kwan well. IMO this was bad manners.

I get it now, this time around, it's not what Cohen said, but what she DIDN'T say. Or how she phrased it, or a look on her face that could have been interpreted this way or another.

Unless Katie asked Sasha to send any messeges to Michelle during the interview, Sasha did not have to address Kwan on camera. And I truly hope Curic didn't, or it'll be so tacky and tactless, but maybe she's a Kwan fan?

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

Dee4707 said:
Yes, Math, this is what Skatefan4Life, Frau Muller and Kathleen were using to bash Sasha with. Can you believe it!! I just couldn't believe that these 3 adults could be so mean.

Dee

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, of course, and I am entitled to mine. I have written some posts praising Sasha's skating, so I'm not as mean a person as you consider me to be. :biggrin:

Dee4707 · Feb 13, 2006

Kathleen said:
Oh, and as for you Dee.........you need to get a grip. I never "bashed" anyone......I just gave my opinion, which I stand by. You are entitled to yours, as I am to mine. No need to get crazy.

First of all what do mean get a grip?? What you said was mean and it wasn't an opinion it was just plain mean. Opinions are OK, meaness is not.

Dee

Piel · Feb 13, 2006

Maybe we need a couple of group therapy threads so us Kwaniacs can mourn and the those who feel differently can say so, LOL? I think some of you need to take into consideration that some of us have been Kwan fan(atics) for 12 years. She is the main reason I even watch FS. With her not competing it leaves a huge void in the competition for us. We ARE overly sensitive toward anything seen as a snub or dis toward her. Obviously by all of the kind remarks that have been made about her since her withdrawal we Kwaniacs were not misquided in our fandom. The question is will someone else come along who can take her place in our hearts?

R.D. · Feb 13, 2006

First of all what do mean get a grip?? What you said was mean and it wasn't an opinion it was just plain mean. Opinions are OK, meaness is not.

this thread just reeks of mean-spiritedness IMO

SkateFan4Life · Feb 13, 2006

Piel said:
Maybe we need a couple of group therapy threads so us Kwaniacs can mourn and the those who feel differently can say so, LOL? I think some of you need to take into consideration that some of us have been Kwan fan(atics) for 12 years. She is the main reason I even watch FS. With her not competing it leaves a huge void in the competition for us. We ARE overly sensitive toward anything seen as a snub or dis toward her. Obviously by all of the kind remarks that have been made about her since her withdrawal we Kwaniacs were not misquided in our fandom. The question is will someone else come along who can take her place in our hearts?

Believe it or not, Michelle Kwan isn't the only figure skater I have admired over the years. Many women skaters have struck a chord with their talent, grace, athleticism, and personality, and Michelle is just one member of this group. The fact that Michelle has been on the national/world stage for so long has just increased the number of people who admire her as a skater and as a person. She first appeared at Nationals in 1993, at the age of 12 (!) and until this year, she had been a fixture at that competition, with nine titles.

I would love to see another skater receive the same wonderful acclaim that Michelle has received; however, she is a hard act to follow. Can another woman fill her shoes (skates) in the hearts of skating fans? Of course. I certainly do not have a crystal ball, but it could happen.

Piel · Feb 13, 2006

SkateFan4Life said:
Believe it or not, Michelle Kwan isn't the only figure skater I have admired over the years. Many women skaters have struck a chord with their talent, grace, athleticism, and personality, and Michelle is just one member of this group. The fact that Michelle has been on the national/world stage for so long has just increased the number of people who admire her as a skater and as a person. She first appeared at Nationals in 1993, at the age of 12 (!) and until this year, she had been a fixture at that competition, with nine titles.

I would love to see another skater receive the same wonderful acclaim that Michelle has received; however, she is a hard act to follow. Can another woman fill her shoes (skates) in the hearts of skating fans? Of course. I certainly do not have a crystal ball, but it could happen.

I have had other favorites.... Debi Thomas and Nancy Kerrigan. And I remember feeling sad when their competitive careers ended. I have been a Kwan fan for so long that it really is an adjustment to make. The GP has not been interesting to me since she wasn't in it but at least I had Nationals, Worlds, and Olys to look forward to. So it IS a death of sorts. Everybody reacts to this kind of thing differently, there is no right or wrong. I am thinking Hallmark might make a fortune in "sympathy for the Kwan fan cards" during the next few weeks.

millie · Feb 13, 2006

When SkateFan4Life started this thread, it started out being mean and troll like. How many athletes have been injured since this Olympics started. I have watched most of the athletes competing and the ones that were injured. Not once did I see another athlete stop and say Oh, I'm sorry so-and-so got injured or the media with their mike's stuck in another athletes face asking them how they feel about it. Does that make them not good sportsman or women. Are they mean and bad and uncaring? Give it a rest!!!Michelle is not the first athlete that has gotten injured and she won't be the last. OOOH I forgot this is not about Michelle being injured(God Bless Her) its about how a certain athlete responded to a question about being injured. We will have to e-mail Sasha and tell her to send the Kwan Fans a sympathy card, not for Michelle-she's taking care of herself-but for her mourning fans. Grow up for heavens sake!!! This is supposed to be an Olympic sport not American Idol.

Piel · Feb 13, 2006

registered said:
I wouldn't call bumping a teammate out of the Olympics, in hopes she'd be able to skate well enough in time; throwing in a hoopla, that shook up everyone, from skaters to commentators, who had to handle questions, that had nothing to do with their own performance, at Nationals; not expressing a sympathy towards the state of health of a teammates, many of whom were skating, while sick; upstaging a teammate, calling in a press conference, when the other one had her's scheduled -- a show of class, but everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

1. Did not bump. Kwan won her polace on the team fair and square according to the rules.

2. When was she given the oipportunity to comment on sick team mates health?

3. By upstaging I take it that you mean Kwan got more press being absent than others got for being present? The press wants a good story and Kwan has always been a good story. That the nine time U.S. champion was not there due to injury WAS big news to the folks who only tune in for nationals, worlds, and Olys. I think what some of you are forgetting is that what is OLD news on the boards is BREAKING news to the casual observor of FS.

4. What press conference are you referring to that was called when someone else's had already been scheduled? The news stations control scheduling of what is covered and reported. What has Kwan held a press conference about that was not more newsworthy than what another skater was holding theirs about?

I honestly think that the nonKwans are just p***** beyond belief that even though Sasha is the National champ and Kwan had to withdraw from the Olys the news is still all about Kwan. Unlike the nonKwans it seems that lots of folks still hold her in high esteem. People are not going to forget about 12 years overnight. And you better believe that for the next 12 years any time Sasha, Kimmie,Emily, Katy, BeBe.............make a mistep a journalist somewhere is going to compare that to the "always classy Kwan".

SusanBeth · Feb 13, 2006

Kwanford Wife said:
Thank you Ogre for giving her comment in its correct light...

Look, I'm a true blue uber Kwaniac and took offense at a lot of comments made regarding Kwan's withdrawl over the weekend... but I think its silly to bash Sasha or Emily for not falling out in dispare of Kwan's withdrawl... these two are on the biggest stage and in the hunt for that elusive perfect Olympic moment. Let them focus on their moment without making everything about Kwan... Michelle Kwan will continue to be a powerhouse in US skating as well as the biggest story of these games and go down in history as the best who ever did it...

But everything shouldn't be about Kwan... Let Sasha & Emily enjoy their moment in the spotlight. Kwan withdrew, she didn't die. Life isn't fair and Kwan knows that ~ its too bad that we skating fans sometimes forget it...

I'm heartbroken for Kwan and for me, February 11th will always be "Black
Saturday" but its time for the focus to turn to the other skaters & let them do their thing... Kwan will be a star until the end of time. Let Sasha & Emily enjoy their time now.

(it still sucks though... )

Well said!! I could not agree more.

76olympics · Feb 13, 2006

Sasha's comments didn't bother me; she is young (21 is young!) and she is under a good bit of pressure just now. I imagine she has a bit of tunnel vision; Michelle -who also seems absurdly young to me! - is part of an older skating generation to Sasha. She probably has had little one on one contact with Michelle beyond that of a someone who you might see every now and then who works in another department but who attends some of the same meetings.

I have always liked Michelle as a skater and a person. I like some of Sasha's programs and this has been a promising year for her. She is probably focused on what she has to do.

Sasha Cohen's Reaction to Michelle Kwan's Withdrawal

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