Could a perfect Kwan have beaten a perfect Yu-Na? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Could a perfect Kwan have beaten a perfect Yu-Na?

Bijoux

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 8, 2004
Michelle competed for 10 years, was the most consistent jumper/compeitor/presenter we will ever see. Her longevity was amazing and I seriously doubt we will see her like again under CoP. she did not have to do the big footwork sequences current ladies must. This is where she would have difficulty. She protected her body and was winning with 3-2's so she was very smart not to destroy her hip like Tara did.

Are there more complete skaters than Michelle? Yes, there are several on a good day. But recall Salome and her first world title in 1996 even beat the exquisite Chen Lu. We forget she won her first world championship at 16. Do you YuNA tics even recall this skate? Were you alive, LOL?

Yuna will be maybe a truly polished, very elegant skater in two years. But there will never likely be someone under cop who stays for 10 years. YUNA will likely turn pro within 2 years. I wonder if she could possibly put up with all the pressure from Koreans and all the lures of such rediculous sums of money to compete until Sochi. Injuries happen all the time. Kwan was very lucky and very smart, as well as favored by the judges.

Former figure skaters and commentators like scott who gush a lot are seeing how much money they can make off YUNA if she skates with SOI. Don't you think all the hype and money around this girl affects the judges? C'mon! Everyone wants a piece of this girl. Any consistent ladies winner is welcome everywhere, esp here in the USA where we need a star to tour and revive the sport. The powers that be are just as happy to make money off this Korean "rock star." as any US or European skater.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
"Watching Yu-Na doing the triple lutz/triple toe, I don't think anyone has ever done a triple lutz/triple toe in short program for the Olympics, and to do it so well."

Only a handful of women have done the triple axel. Asada may have two of them in her long program.

"What might be going through her (Asada's) brain right now is that she has nothing to lose. She's got to nail the two triple axels, thinking that (Kim) would do a clean program," said Kwan.

How psychologically defeating is it to land a big jump like the triple axel and still place second?

"Well, that's competition. Sometimes your best isn't good enough. … It's all what the judges are looking for, and apparently (Kim) is what the judges are looking for when it comes to jump quality and spin quality and her edges and all that,'' Kwan said.

During her career, Kwan won nine U.S. titles and five world titles. She was a two-time Olympic medalist, silver and bronze.

"I landed my triple lutz, triple toe one summer for like two months," said Kwan. "But not at the Olympic level." -- Gary Mihoces

Telling words from Kwan! Read the rest here:
http://content.usatoday.com/communi.../02/womens-short-program-wows-michelle-kwan/1
 

kyla2

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Michelle at her peak would beat Yu Na. Michelle had outstanding footwork sequences Bijoux. What planet have some of you been on for the past 15 years?
 

Marrymeyunakim

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
I would say that Michelle would beat Yu-Na under 6.0. Yu-Na could beat Michelle under CoP, but not by much due to Michelle's underrated technical amazingness. Michelle is my favourite of all time. :)
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
I would say that Michelle would beat Yu-Na under 6.0. Yu-Na could beat Michelle under CoP, but not by much due to Michelle's underrated technical amazingness. Michelle is my favourite of all time. :)

Under CoP, Michelle at her best would land 7 triples. 3T-3T, 3L, 3R, 3S, 3F, 3L, 2A.
Yuna, at her best (TEB 2009), is doing 5 triples.
Michelle would get huge PCS like Joannie, so Yuna would not beat a clean Michelle even under CoP.
 

ehdtkqorl123

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Under CoP, Michelle at her best would land 7 triples. 3T-3T, 3L, 3R, 3S, 3F, 3L, 2A.
Yuna, at her best (TEB 2009), is doing 5 triples.
Michelle would get huge PCS like Joannie, so Yuna would not beat a clean Michelle even under CoP.

Being able to land all triples doesn't necessarily mean that a skater is absolutely strong lol.
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
And this whole thread proves why it's a stupid thing to discuss, let me give you a couple of reasons:

1. Any discussion of Yuna ends in some heated discussion often turns rabid and ends with meltdowns from the detractors when Yuna declared queen of everything, high priestess of the world and god to everyone.
2. Any discussion of Michelle ends in some heated discussion often turns rabid and ends with the meltdowns from the detractors when Michelle is declared Kween of everything, high priestess of the world and god to everyone.
3. A Kween trumps a Queen, so Kwan wins :p
4. They competed under different systems in different eras against different competitors so a comparison is not really warranted or valid.
5. Do we bother comparing Ito with Kwan?

In any event if we're playing the coulda/woulda/shoulda then Witt would win, because in my head she'd go and get bioninc limbs and whip quints off in her sleep....eat that Kwan and Kim. :laugh:

Ant
 

dlgpffps

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Are there more complete skaters than Michelle? Yes, there are several on a good day. But recall Salome and her first world title in 1996 even beat the exquisite Chen Lu. We forget she won her first world championship at 16. Do you YuNA tics even recall this skate? Were you alive, LOL?

Yes, I was alive. I may not remember this particular skate, but I remember Nagano very distinctly :sheesh: Anyways, I disliked the thread to begin with because I knew it would end with Yu-na bashing. Yu-na is talented, but the Kween is a legend. I just wish you didn't say that commentators gush over her for money only. Yu-na may not match the Kween, but she did set a world record in the short at the age of 16 ;) Mind you, but I think she's pretty darn talented.
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Hi guys! Guess whose back?!? And what a wonderful welcome home from an "Up In The Air" February... Sorry, Ant, but I couldn't resist...

IMO - which is NEVER humble - I think a perfect Kwan could and would beat a perfect Yuna. And when I say perfect Kwan, I mean Red Violin Kwan @ Worlds. That program is just perfect - its actually the program I think of when I ponder what was the intention behind CoP because it was jammed packed with everything we hold dear in figure skating...

But its funny because I DON'T think a perfect Kwan would've beat a perfect Mao - at least under 6.0. Those two triple axles would've made up for a lot and the flutz wouldn't be an issue.

I'll even go a step further and say that I'm not sure that under 6.0 Yuna would be as dominant as she is under CoP. Not enough triples and weak-ish spirals.

But Ant is totally accurate: A Kween trumps a Queen anyday... Yuna had a legendary season - Kwan is a legend. But give Yuna time - she'll get there.
 

kyla2

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Mathman, loved that "and your point is?" Touche!!! People mess with us Kwan fans at their own peril.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Of course Michelle could not have beat Yu-na. or else Mirai would have won the Olympics. Mirai skated two clean programs with no 3/3, usually what Michelle did when she was healthy. Michele would have had higher PCS, but she never tried a 2 axel/3toe. A clean Michelle would have been third tops at this olympics.
 

dorothea

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 12, 2010
It's meaningless question.
The mutual admiration and love between Yuna and Michelle is so nice and heartwarming to watch.
Someone who is jealous of their beautiful relationship wants to ask that kind of question.
They are both Kween & Queen to their fans.
 

ks777

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
no way Michelle could have won. Yuna skates so much faster and have a 3lutz/3toe and 2axel/3toe. As much as I love Michelle, she wasn't fast like Yuna.
 

verysmuchso

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
I think there is an amount of voluntary naivety when people here talk about Kwan and Kwan's legend. Kwan is a great skater who also happened to be the icon of US dominance in women's figure skating during those years when the US indeed was dominant. I personally think there is more to Kwan's legend or status than just her personal athletic or artistic merits. Well, to make a long story short, how likely do you think it would be that Kwan, if she were not American and were from a small country like South Korea where there is hardly no figure skating infrastructure or tradition to speak of, would have emerged as a breakaway star as did Yu-na and declared a legend and a 'Queen' just about three years after she entered the senior international competition circuit?
 
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