Who were the most talented skaters to never reach their true potential? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Who were the most talented skaters to never reach their true potential?

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I believe that the truth is that his biggest challenge is to find a way to have someone else choreograph for him while hanging on to his marriage.

...............You've seen her on television......would you fire her? Yikes........I would disagree though, about not reaching his potential. His track record isn't so bad.

Totally agree with Chris Bowman. I pulled out my 1991 National tapes (yep, it's that time again), and watched Tonya's amazing and ground-breaking long program and then Bowman's masterpiece of a short program (they called them "original" programs back then). What a huge waste of a natural skating and jumping ability, and could he sell a program.........42
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Bowman definitely due to personal decisions - as per Frank Carroll he was Hans Brinker from Hell.

I also think Bobek could have been much more dominant, but I don't think she wanted it enough to discipline herself. When she was called into 94 World's, she didn't even qualify and looked like she was out of shape - only 2 months after Nationals.

Jamie Silverstein & Lisa Ervin due to illness - both suffer eating disorders due in part to the pressures of competitve skating.

Naomi Nari Nam & Scott Davis due to physical problems.

Tiffany Chin. She was landing triple axels in practice. I think she quit because she stopped enjoying it. I remember one interview where it was obvious her mother was haranguing her in Chinese.

I think Karyn Cadavy blossomed in the pros. I really wish she hadn't had to withdraw from her Olys due to illness, but I doubt that she would've stayed in it another 4 years - money wasn't there at the time. However, I do think she's fulfilled her potential in her pro career, as compared to Bobek who seems to play to the crowd more than actually skate with grace on tour with COI. (JMHO)
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
show 42 said:
...............You've seen her on television......would you fire her? Yikes........I would disagree though, about not reaching his potential. His track record isn't so bad.

As far as Mike goes, when I think of him not fulfilling his potential, I'm really thinking in terms of the ARTISTIC, not the number of medals or titles he has won. I just feel it in my bones that he has so much more to offer but he just hasn't worked with anyone who can help him unleash it.[ He needs someone to help him S-T-R-E-T-C-H--artistically and literally!
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Re: Who were the most talented skaters to never reach their true potential?

Easy ~ the ones that you (speaking in general here) like (fill-in the blank) ~ and the opposite would be the ones that you (speaking in general here once again) don't like (fill-in the blank). :laugh: At least that has always been my obseration. ;)

Peace & Laughter, Nadine :D
 

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Definitely Josee Chouinard. She had talent and did the work, she just didn't have the nerves. So far, Sandhu. He is the most frustrating skater I have ever watched.

Abt, mostly due to injuries. Jenny Kirk and Angela Nikodinov too. It's too bad, I really love Angela's skating. Krylova and Ovsiannakov. They did win an Olympic medal and two World titles, but imagine how much further they could have gone if she didn't have that back injury.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
mike79 said:
Abt, Chouinard, Bobek, Kulik(as an eligible skater), Bowman, Michael Weiss(because of his wife's choreography), Laetitia Hubert, Bechke&Petrov, and countless others.

I would say that a skater who besides a few other titles won the Olympic gold has reached her/his true eligible potential. Considering how often there has been injuries for male skaters because of the quad, after winning an Olympics it is time to move on, in my opinion.

Marjaana
 

brenlynn

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Some that were already mentioned: NNN, Scott Davis, Nicole Bobek, Jamie Silverstein, Josee Chouinard, Angela Nikodinov.

Ina and Zimmerman: IMO they retired much too early. They were just starting to get really good in 2002 and I would love to see them still competiting, I think they would be one of the best teams in the world.

Baiul: Also, retired too early. She had no real reason for doing so either, she did have some injuries, but none that a little rest wouldn't have cured. If she would have kept at it, I think she would be better then she is today (and I still think she's fab) and maybe would have kept her mind on the right path.

Lipinski: Granted, also another OGM, but I think she could have been better then she was, and she proved that in the pro ranks. I know her reason for retirement was legit and I don't doubt her choice for one second, especially since now she can't skate at all on tour, but I just wish she could have been healthy and continued competiting, I feel she still has so much to offer to the skating world. If only she could :cry:, I feel like I am the only one that misses her lol.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I miss Tara too. I thought she really developed as a showgirl/artist on SOI.

I don't understand why Ina and Zimmerman retired. I think they are good enough to challenge Shen and Zhao and at least be good enough for a silver medal at worlds. Was it b/c she refused to take a drug test and she was suspended that caused them to turn pro? The US pairs situation is horrible.
 

Chrystia Mee

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
I agree with whoever said Naomi Nari Nam. I was heartbroken when I heard she couldn't compete. When she burst in at the nationals in 1999, she could have beaten Kwan if she hadn't had that one bobble in the sp. But her lp was fantastic and she was so young then!

I also agree with Nicole Bobek. She was such a joy to watch on ice.
 

brenlynn

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
soogar said:
I don't understand why Ina and Zimmerman retired. I think they are good enough to challenge Shen and Zhao and at least be good enough for a silver medal at worlds. Was it b/c she refused to take a drug test and she was suspended that caused them to turn pro? The US pairs situation is horrible.

Kyoko insists the reason she refused to take the test was because her and John had already planned on skating pro and not competiting (among other reasons - like the horrible timing of them coming to her house). Of course, who knows how true that is, she may have been trying to cover herself up and that did seem like a logically reason. They really had so much potential.
 

Longhornliz

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Did anyone mention Surya Bonaly? Although she had a relatively successful career and won the European title a few times, her artistry never really developed to the same level of her athleticism. And she spent so much time embroiled in controversy over her illegal moves (her backflip with the amazing one foot landing) that the judges never really warmed up to her. I think had she been less of a rebel that she could have polished her programs and been unstoppable… but that was like a hundred years ago.
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Longhornliz said:
Did anyone mention Surya Bonaly? Although she had a relatively successful career and won the European title a few times, her artistry never really developed to the same level of her athleticism. And she spent so much time embroiled in controversy over her illegal moves (her backflip with the amazing one foot landing) that the judges never really warmed up to her. I think had she been less of a rebel that she could have polished her programs and been unstoppable… but that was like a hundred years ago.

I can sum up the reason Surya never developed her artistic potential in one word:

MOM
:eek:
 
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thisthingcalledlove

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
RealtorGal said:
Why? She was a U.S. and World gold medalist. That seems pretty impressive to me.

It is impressive, but I had wished that Elaine had more longevity, that she had stayed in till 88, and maybe gotten a medal at the olympics then...but then again, i read that she wanted to quit even the night of the LP in 82...so she really began to hate the sport after a while...

maybe it wasn't a case of never reaching her full potential with elaine, but burnout.
 

DivakawaFan

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
I think Laetita Hubert. She was World junior champ in 92 and was 5th after the short program at Olympics same year. Its amazing then that she never medalled, even at Europeans. I remember one year she beat Lipinski somewhere and I thought this was her time...but no, she messed up at Nagano, then had a chance for a medal at Minnneapolis but got nervous in LP and came 4th.

It seems mad, but I think Midori Ito. OK she won a world title, and an Oly silver, but she could have done even better. When I watch her best performances I wonder how she could have ever been beaten!!

Also:

Surya Bonaly :) Wish she'd won a world title!!
Nicole Bobek
Angela Nikidinov
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Back in 84, there wasn't much of a pro circuit - just blech Ice Capades. Since Elaine didn't finish on the Oly podium in 84, it wouldn't have made financial sense for her to stay with it another 4 years. Also, she wasn't perceived an artistic skater. While she's not ugly, I don't think she had the looks that skating producers wanted - especially compared to Katerina W and Roz.

I'm not saying it's fair, but it's just unfortunate timing.
 
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