Why Kwan won't go pro...ever | Golden Skate

Why Kwan won't go pro...ever

Kwanisqueen81

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 30, 2003
Hi everyone,

Opinions are good but opinions backed up with facts are even better. Please don't let this theard turn into another my skater vs. your skater bashing fest. Now without further ado...


I boldly predict that Michelle will stay eligible AT LEAST untill 2006. Why? Well there are several factors and after careful analysis and review of the facts here is my case FOR Michelle...in no particular order


1) She loves to Compete:

Michelle has gone on the record many, many times thoughout her career stateing that she "loves to compete". It seems like every interview, TV apperence, Fluff piece, article, ect related to Michelle has a quote from her saying she "loves to Compete" that she "loves to nervous feeling before a competition" and that to her it is "all about the competition". Michelle thrivies on competition. She skates her best when she conviences her self that she is not the favorite, that pushes her to skate better. Remember this is the same girl who at said at the '98 nagano LP press conference "you guys might see me untill 2006"


2) Current State of Professional Skating

Why turn pro?? There are hardly any professional competitions held besides Ice Wars. For a person that "loves to compete" that picture just won't do. Not only that but really what is the advantage of turning pro now. Why won't anyone say the obvious...For all intents and purposes Michelle is ALREADY professional. ($4million a year last I checked, from skating prize money, TV Apperence fees, various endorsements, ect) At this point there is no real financial incentive for Michelle to give up her olympic eligibility. She already makes her living by skating. Look folks the days of 'I can't make money in skating untill I win a olympic gold medal are over'. Skating has changes since the days of Hamil and Fleming...just a sign of the post whack heard around the world times. This is not limited to MIchelle but basicly all your elite skaters nowadays are not true amatures. Personally I don't have a problem with skaters making money because skating is such an expensive sport compared to other amature sports. Also many times skating requires a huge financial sacrafice for skaters' families. For anyone to attack Kwan for making money is just fool hardy. Because all the skaters are trying to make money.

3) Overwhemlingly Postive Post olympic season

After 1998 Michelle made it clear she would continue untill 2002. But at the start of last season we really didn't know what Michelle was gonna do. She didn't know either. She found Marosov and Scott Williams and took charge of her own skating. The results speak for themselves. With increased speed and sharper spins and footwork Michelle proved her worth. Look at her ending pose at 2003 worlds...does that look like someone who wants to give it all up?? No. She skates on her own terms now. The success of this past season will no doubt give her the motavation and will to continue saying eligible at least untill 2006(beyond? see #4).




4) Age...a non issue

23 is not old!! But to drive home that point let me use Maria Bute. as the model. Maria won her world title at the age 26(7 triple LP), Maria did what is probaly her most demanding technical lp at '00 NHK at the age of 28. Indeed Maria competed at SLC Olympics 4 months shy of her (long collective gasp) 30th birthday. By comparison Michelle will be only 25 by the time Turnino comes around. Michelle will be the same age in Turin that Maria was at Nagano. Elena S. also had a resergent season with the aid of 3-3 combinations and and she is 23. If Michelle keeps up her off-ice training, avoids injury, and stays "lean and mean" there is no reason she won't be competitive. I will admit however that with age condidtioning and competition scheduling will be more and more important.


5) Nothing left to prove

Michelle is that rare athlete that truly has nothing left to prove to anyone. Michelle has all the titles(except well you know), all the wonderful performances, all the love (more or less depends on which figure skating board you are on), all the media attention, and star power. Even people who don't really follow figure skating know her. When she skates at a competition everyone is rivitied to their seats becaus everyone wants to know will she fall on her behind or get a string of 6.0s. Michelle has grown up competing and has been in the spotlight since the age of 13 if not yonger. So really she doesn't know anything else, skating is her life. May she continue to walk though fields of gold...sorry for pun.


sorry for double posting I am an idiot!!

:laugh:
 
Last edited:

Germanice

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
.... because she's one of my least favourite skaters and almost all of my least favourite skaters NEVER EVER become pro! :( :cry:

Anke :D
 

rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Germanice said:
.... because she's one of my least favourite skaters and almost all of my least favourite skaters NEVER EVER become pro!

Anke


GI, we know you are not serious, and you are just trying to teach us the concept of "ideas of reference" ;) :D
 
Last edited:

StillBlueLake

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I hope she never does go pro, I think she likes where she is now, and I think at the very LEAST, she could easily win several more National titles. What else is there for her? She likes skating and is thoroughly in control of her own life and career.

Girl power to Michelle for doing as she pleases!!! Woo hoo!!!!
 

Lisa

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Because she wants that Olympic title? :D

(And before you all jump on me, folks, I don't mean to bash - I understand each and every skater who competes in order to get a title, or to win a competition he/she never won before, that's perfectly okay with me. Kudos to Michelle if she really succeeds in skating and being successful for such a long time.)
 

Lisa

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Germanice wrote:

".... because she's one of my least favourite skaters and almost all of my least favourite skaters NEVER EVER become pro!"


Anke, in this case I should start to root for your least favorite skaters!!! Go Michelle!!! :D

Lisa - frustrated because her faves have to retire
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
No problem with your 5 points of MK staying eligible ( we really can't say 'amateur' anymore). She has her fans that would agree with you. But she also has her share of non'fans - those who really do not want to see anymore of her. There is all that talk about "should turn Pro". I would never say that about any skater. As you say, what is a Pro nowadays?

I'm rooting for MK and Irina to prove there is no age thing with beautiful skating, and it proves my point gloriously in competitive skating. The less said about Pro competions, the better. Pro competitions is for fans who are more interested in gimmicks and far out costumes than sport, imo.

Joe
 

Lucy25

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
I actually can see her going pro after 2006 Olympics, but only doing certain shows (none of the lame "competitions" unless Irina also goes pro, giving them some legitimacy). I think she will get finish her education, get married, and have a baby before she is thirty. She then will make guest appearances in television broadcasts. I Hope to NEVER see her go the tacky pro route. I know that Michelle's decision to remain eligible has really pissed off some pros, but phooey on them:p.
 

Jennifer Lyon

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
If Michelle had won the gold in Nagano, she would have turned pro just like Tara did. Ditto for Irina Slutskaya. As for the state of professional skating, they'd have more competitions if there were more big-name skaters who would do them.
 

aly*cutie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
I think if she wins Gold in 2006 then she will turn pro. She'll already have won an olympic Bronze, and Silver, and I hope she gets the gold! She's a great skater but Its just my opoinion that she will probably stick it out until 2006.
 

VIETgrlTerifa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Jennifer Lyon said:
If Michelle had won the gold in Nagano, she would have turned pro just like Tara did. Ditto for Irina Slutskaya. As for the state of professional skating, they'd have more competitions if there were more big-name skaters who would do them.

I really doubt that because Michelle to me seems like the type who wants to break records, etc. so if Michelle won the gold in Nagano, I think she would try for another in SLC.

Rgirl said a Michelle quote that I think is fitting for this thread. When Michelle was interviewed backstage at Worlds or Nationals this past season right after she got her scores in the Kiss and Cry, she looked at the audience and asked the interviewer why anyone would want to leave this (she was talking about the very appreciative crowd ovation of her performance).

Also, I think that the demise of pro skating could also be contributed to the exploitation of figure skating after the ratings boom after 1994.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
VIETgrlTerifa said:
I really doubt that because Michelle to me seems like the type who wants to break records, etc. so if Michelle won the gold in Nagano, I think she would try for another in SLC.

ITA.
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I completely agree with VietGrl. I don't think Michelle would have gone pro after Nagano no matter what the result. She was 17 and only at the beginning of a wonderful career. Certainly the dream of Olympic Gold was a factor in her decision to stay eligible, but I have to say that I actually believe it when Michelle says "I love to compete." I also think she'll stay for 2006. I couldn't be more pleased to see this. She brings an elegance and stability to this sport that I would miss terribly.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Michelle has said flat out that she will never go pro. When she decides that she's had enough, she's had enough.

Er, of course that won't stop her from doing shows now and then, going on tour with COI, etc.:)

Mathman
 

toutestgrace

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
She really has no reason to turn pro. And she's in a perfect position to turn the tide of eligible skating away from one-hit wonders. Imagine all the young skaters who just may stick it out year after year to compete with the likes of MK. The possibilities are endless!:)
 

rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Mathman said:

Er, of course that won't stop her from doing shows now and then, going on tour with COI, etc.:)

Mathman

I heard she may appear in a documentary film about some Math Immersion Program?

The Messiah won't come, and Michelle won't go ~ Joesitz
 
Last edited:

ladybug

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I think Michelle will skate up to 2006. Then I think she will go back to school full time or maybe even get married and start a family. Not sure she would want to give the non-Kwan fans the opportunity to say she struck out 3 times. Of course, the Kwan fans might be able to say "third time is a charm".

Don't think she will ever go "pro".

I hope my hunch is wrong because I would love to see her skate at the 2006 Olympics and put out a program like she did this year at Nationals and Worlds. Win gold or not. Let the world see just how great a skater she really is. No pressure - just enjoy the experience and give her fans the chance to see it all happen.
 
Top