RA interview with MK mentions | Golden Skate

RA interview with MK mentions

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
I was going to post this in the "Injury" thread, but decided to create a new thread for it. Over at FSU, there's a thread that translates an interview Rafael gave:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45661

These parts broke my heart:
Kwan is an era. She’s a massive phenomenon. Michelle started working with me when her career was nearing the end, when everyone understood her star is beginning to set down. Kwan knew that as well.

...We don’t know whether figure skating will have a star of that magnitude in our lifetime.

...You could like her style or not, but you could not NOT agree that there is simply no more skaters of that caliber around. And it is not at all about the skating skills

...Michelle was in such pain when she came back from Torino to the U.S. that she couldn’t sit or walk normally. I was shocked myself. When we just started working together, Kwan often complained that her pelvic bones are “moving inside.” I couldn’t quite understand how that could be. But when she was examined, they found that the right side of her pelvis was coming loose from her sacrum, and was a long time in the making. That was Michelle’s pain for two years coming to the Olympics.

...Sometimes she would come to practice and begin making laps around the rink. The only thing I was watching was her face. If she would pass me and shake her head very slightly, I would understand that they would be no practice today. That her hip is in so much pain that she can’t take it any more. When it flared up beyond her ability to tolerate it, she would go to LA to see a Chinese manual therapist and he would put her bones back in position.

...There was also an added complication – Michelle opened her own skating rink, had to skate there, where the ice is much harder than in Lake Arrowhead. Her pelvic joints became even more worn out from constant landings on the hard ice. I saw it, got stressed, got angry…but what could I do? And how could I leave her in a situation like that?

... She’s an athlete to her bones, she is after the top result. This is why she was never fond of show skating. She wants only to compete.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
We don’t know whether figure skating will have a star of that magnitude in our lifetime.
We won't.

But Michelle is just starting her "long program." In or out of figure skating, her life's journey has only just begun. :yes:
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
IMO. MK has demonstrated that she is extraordinarily tough-minded -- she's a fighter. I think this bodes well for her future.
 

dizzydi7

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 31, 2004
RA Interview

How sad that Michelle had such pain. If all this is true, then there is no chance she will return to skating.

However, instead of feeling pity for Michelle, I feel the opposite. How fortunate she was to have a passion and stay in top form for almost a decade. She is a person who made choices and might be suffering from the consequences but that is the risk they all take. She has/had fame and fortune and we all knew it wouldn't last forever. What a lucky person she is to have had the talent and opportunity to achieve her dreams.

The new chapter of her life has begun. I'm just happy that I got to witness her greatness. Now I look forward to watching other skaters pursue their dreams.

Dizzy
 

Jhar55

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
No well never see another skater that will compare to Michelle's.
I wish her the best in her new life outside skating and also glad I able to see her in her prime and enjoyed it, and will cherish every one of them. :rock:
 

Zanzibar

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
We won't.

But Michelle is just starting her "long program." In or out of figure skating, her life's journey has only just begun. :yes:

Aw MM, what a beautiful sentiment - that actually made me tear up a little. Well put.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Now this is some serious dirt. Now we know what REALLY happened all those years that MK was "avoiding competing" and "taking it easy".

Thanks for posting that interview, it's one of the best skating interviews I've seen in a long time...probably ever.
 

Dennis

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Now this is some serious dirt. Now we know what REALLY happened all those years that MK was "avoiding competing" and "taking it easy".

Thanks for posting that interview, it's one of the best skating interviews I've seen in a long time...probably ever.

You don't like Kwan. How nice, how very very nice.:chorus:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
quick to put words in my mouth, now are we.

It wasn't necessarily Kwan I couldn't stand, it was just her maniac fans.
 

Dennis

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
quick to put words in my mouth, now are we.

It wasn't necessarily Kwan I couldn't stand, it was just her maniac fans.
And you were just as much a hater of her and her skating :rofl: and we know that we know this for we read here :chorus: but we love you. Red Dog you are the best! :clap:
 

krenseby

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
quick to put words in my mouth, now are we.

It wasn't necessarily Kwan I couldn't stand, it was just her maniac fans.

Well, as lovely as Kwan is, the Kwan mania has ruined Cohen's career.

All the merits of Michelle's skating aside, Sasha, one of the most accomplished American singles skaters ever, has been neglected in the media during the Kwan reign.

Sasha has had a more impressive record as a skater than Nancy Kerrigan. But it is Nancy who is much much better known.

Heck, even Nicole Bobeck has more fame than Sasha.

This is because Kwan coverage has sucked up so much media air there was no room for Sasha!
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Well, as lovely as Kwan is, the Kwan mania has ruined Cohen's career.

All the merits of Michelle's skating aside, Sasha, one of the most accomplished American singles skaters ever, has been neglected in the media during the Kwan reign.

Sasha has had a more impressive record as a skater than Nancy Kerrigan. But it is Nancy who is much much better known.

Heck, even Nicole Bobeck has more fame than Sasha.

This is because Kwan coverage has sucked up so much media air there was no room for Sasha!

But its understandable is't it? A skater who went out and won 5 national titles, 9 (is it?) US titles and two Olympic medals is going to outshine and get more media attention than the skater who never won a championship (except nationals when Kwan wasn't there).

Ok so Sasha has a better record than Bobek but does she really have that much better a record than Kerrigan?

Ant
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Well, as lovely as Kwan is, the Kwan mania has ruined Cohen's career.

Also i don't think i'd describe Sasha's career as "ruined". If you consider Sasha's career less than stellar i'd lay the blame fairly and squarely on her inconsistency not on the fame of another skater.

Ant
 

Jimmy Hoffa

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
How sad that Kwan had to suffer for all of that. On the other hand, it must be a wonderful early Christmas present for anyone who has ever had anything against Kwan, Kwan fans, or "Kwan mania". They must be really thrilled knowing that Kwan won't ever skate again and they no longer have to see her or hear her get applause and praise they feel is undeserved. And since, in their minds, Kwan fans only like Kwan and aren't true skating fans, we'll all disappear and they can pretend she never existed or that she never deserved anything she got (except permanent injury) or that she's the sole reason so-and-so isn't more famous, more popular, or champion of whatever.

I guess she's being punished for good for that Torino bye petition. The Hughes family and supporters must be especially smug.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
I think that interview was very refreshing and candid. I can't believe the extent of Michelle's injury, i guess that explains the missing loop now. I guess all the talk of knowing her body and trying to remain injury free was all being banted around as she knew the real state of her hip. I hope $peedy is dying inside after his ridiculous rule changes attemptoing to force the skaters into the GP...of course pigs might fly before $peedy has any negative realisations.

I agree with MM's beautifully put statement that MK is about to start the rest of her life. I doubt that there will be much skating in there. If she could heal and get back to skating i think she's one of the few skaters that could get some pro competitions going again, but i don't think that's where she wants to go.

Good luck to her in anything she decides to do. I feel very lucky to have been a skating fan and see her career with my own eyes (unlike some of the other geats who i'm too young to have seen at the time).

Ant
 

Skate Sandee

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Well, as lovely as Kwan is, the Kwan mania has ruined Cohen's career.

All the merits of Michelle's skating aside, Sasha, one of the most accomplished American singles skaters ever, has been neglected in the media during the Kwan reign.

:rofl: What alternate reality do you live in? Neglected by the press? Still LMAO!

Sasha has had TONS of press over the course of her career. Much of the early attention was hype welcomed and encouraged by Nicks (before she left him the first time). The coverage Sasha has recieved has frankly been overkill when you consider that she is not a titled skater. Later in her career, the media access turned to "when will Sasha ever win a major title? I'd hardly call her neglected. She was touted as a special talent long before her inconsistency ruled the day. The media bated their breath for years waiting for Sasha to win a World or Olympic title (hell, even a National title). It's not their fault if they couldn't write about that.

Cohen's career has not been "ruined". She's simply a talented skater that has never quite managed to win when it counts. She's loved and admired despite this, so I'd hardly term her career as ruined, much less ruined by the media's obsession with MK.
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Well, as lovely as Kwan is, the Kwan mania has ruined Cohen's career.

All the merits of Michelle's skating aside, Sasha, one of the most accomplished American singles skaters ever, has been neglected in the media during the Kwan reign.

This is because Kwan coverage has sucked up so much media air there was no room for Sasha!

:disapp: :disapp:

Are you seriously serious?

And people say we Kwan fans are bad... simply pathetic...

Sasha Cohen had an awesome career with great results for a skater without the killer attack that makes a champion a champion... Too bad for her. But the above post is simply sad, bitter and unfair to the skater you feel lost out to Kwan's fame. I'm sure Sasha would be mortified to read your post...
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Thanks for posting the article... simply heartbreaking... not because she couldn't compete at the Olympics but because of her health...

I'm sure that Michelle will go on & continue to do great things in whatever arena she competes, but man... I will miss seeing her on ice... She's a joy to watch skate and a wonderful role model for young skaters & kids.

Thanks Michelle for giving this skating fan a reason to cheer...
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 

nymkfan51

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Sasha wasn't ruined by Michelle or her fans. She had her chances, but didn't take advantage of the opportunities. Even with that, she has had a nice career and should be very pleased with that.

As far as Michelle goes, I still don't believe we have seen the last of her skating.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
It's an honest, open interview by someone close enough to have his facts straight. It is most peculiar that someone would call it dirt.

Kwan has been a very special skater all these years even when her body was aching all those years.

Her multitude of fans would delight in her gold winning performances and they would keep the faith when she wasn't at her best. They are not unlike those fans of the NY Yankees, and other sport heroes.

She is incomparable, imo, and there is no need to bring in other names of skaters.

Joe
 
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