What is happening to Tara Lipinski??? | Page 6 | Golden Skate

What is happening to Tara Lipinski???

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
I would say had Tara's success (1997-1998) happened in any other eara, pre to 1996 or after 2006, she would be recognized as one of the 'greatness' in lady skating. But her successful era was shadowed by Michelle's logetivity stay at the top for almost a decade. When ppl/skating fan mentioned this era, most remembered is Michelle since she is the constant figure on podium.

I wouldn't say Michelle's success benefits from Tara's success, actually it was the other way around. For one, had Michelle diddn't secure 2 boothes for US at 1994 worlds. US would only send one lady to 1995, that would be Bobek. With her finish at 1995, there would be only 2 spots at 1996 worlds, I'm not sure if Tara would be on the team. For two, Michelle delivered two beautyful programs at 1995 worlds, but fail to land on the podium because judges thought she was too young to medal. But after that year, judges somehow changed their mind set in a way were willing to reward the young skaters as long as you delivered.

If you hnew someone in that close circle (top competetors in nationals during that era), you'd heard there were other factor contributing to Tara's hip injury besides the crazy 3l/3l practicing.
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
There are two words that make Tara look like a beauty queen, Oscar winning actress, and a member of Mensa

........ Paris...........Nicole
 

76olympics

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
What other factor are you talking about, MzHeng? I hadn't heard any other theory behind Tara's premature retirement from skating (altogether) except over-exertion and lack of rest time.
 

skatingfan5

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
76olympics said:
What other factor are you talking about, MzHeng? I hadn't heard any other theory behind Tara's premature retirement from skating (altogether) except over-exertion and lack of rest time.
I don't know what mzheng was referring to, but Tara was on record for saying that she didn't believe much in warming up/stretching before skating. I think that was something that could have made her more likely to sustain injuries, especially if she was also over-training her jumps in practice.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I read in a magazine that Tara had a $10,000 bet with Todd that she could land a triple axel and that Richard Callaghan made them call it off. Maybe she was trying to get a triple axel and considering that her double axel was so small, that could have contributed to injury.
 

jesslily

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Every skater has some sort of injury, long term or short term. So Tara's hip problem should not prevent her to do professional skating. She has better recognition in skating world than in the entertainment. Plus she does not have that movie star's christma. It's been 5 years and she hasn't landed any major role even in a low budget movie. I feel Tara should come back to the skating tour, just like Sarah did. I guess it's much easier for Tara to get back in shape. She can do the tour and shows just with double jumps, like many others doing now. People wouldn't forget all the brilliant triples jumps she was performing before. How many professionals can maintain entire set of triples?
 

Yazmeen

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
I don't think touring with either SOI or COI could possibly be in Tara's future. Her mother, in yet another of her "can't keep my mouth shut" moments blabbed in the gossipy book "Frozen Assets" by Mark Lund that SOI didn't treat Tara very well, leaving her alone at night in her hotel room while the over-21 cast members went out together. (It was also noted in the same chapter that some SOI cast members felt Tara didn't treat them with respect and that she demanded too much attention). Mrs. L's rant in the book was essentially at the least a big "hint, hint" for COI to take Tara back--she kept praising Tom Collins and saying how wonderfully he treated his skaters and how much happier Tara was in COI. Collins, however, is pretty much known as someone who never forgets a slight and will not take back a skater who left his tour for another one. That doesn't leave Tara many options. She was supposed to do a small tour on her own a couple of years ago in a few cities, but the tickets didn't sell well, IIRC and nothing ever came of it. Unfortunately, Tara's parents burned many bridges in their efforts to further her skating career (USFSA, COI and now SOI) so she doesn't have a lot of "skating good will" to fall back on.
 

jesslily

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Sorry to hear about it. But no matter how her parents were too eager to promote Tara, or said how many bad things, that's her parents mistakes. Tara won the OGM when she was 15 and had been a young teenager. COI and SOI should not remember what she said or did for ever. Even her parents, as adults, people should not expect them perfect. We are all human beings, and nobody is perfect. Can't they just flip that old page over and start a new one?
 

K-Mo

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
euterpe said:
IMHO, it's unfair to audiences who are paying $$ to see Sarah as the headliner, and then discover that she isn't able to skate like an OGM winner any more. She's getting away with it monetarily for now, but in a year, she will no longer be the reigning OGM, and if the new winner is interested in joining SOI, Sarah could be out of a job.

Sarah's OGM was a fluke anyway, and she only won because she had the skate of her life, and all the other contenders had a bad night of it. It suck to wait 4 years for the Olympics and have that happen! :cry:
 

euterpe

Medalist
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
It isn't the burnt bridges with COI and SOI that keep Tara from making a comeback as a pro skater.

Tara has severe arthritis in the hip where she had the surgery, the result of returning to the SOI tour too soon after surgery. As the years went by, Tara became stiffer and stiffer in that hip (sitting on buses during the tour didn't help, nor did practices in cold arenas) and was able to do fewer and fewer jumps. The problems with her hip were her motivation to find another path to maintain her celebrity, which is why she was looking for opportunities as an actress.

She eventually had to stop skating altogether, so even if COI and SOI 'forgave' her, Tara is no longer physically able to skate. Her choices are either acting or retiring from the celebrity world and living on the income from the millions she earned from skating.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Yazmeen - I never heard all those stories about COI and SOI. Verrry gosssipy. I did read at the time of TL's meteoric rise that Pat L. was a stereotype stage mother, and later went on tour with SOI. She also got Tara to bed right after the show on Saturday night and up on Sunday morning for Mass while on tour.

Given the other verrry gossipy stories of SOI, I can understand her not fitting in.

It's really best to take gossip with a grain of salt (after you've had a laught).

Her movie aspirations I believe are factual. Unfortunately, she can be typecast very easily. I think if she got some work in stage acting in LA, it could help to cover up that 'little girl' look. She could use Sally Fields as someone to look up to.

Joe
 
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