All this talk of Kimmie

[Fossi]

But keep your eyes on Emily Hughes. I have a feeling she may take the figure skating world by surprise next year. I'm not saying she'll go to the Olympics. She might deserve that 3rd spot, but I think it has Kimmie's name on it and they'll make sure she goes barring meltdown. But I think Emily will be the one to shine and the one people will be talking about.
Does anyone remember how they had Michelle Kwan in '94? She was so small. Everyone focused on the young girl that could save skating. Now, Michelle and Sasha on the brink of what might be the end. The next annointed one right now is obviously Kimmie, but I think Emily will be the next big American skating star.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Not if Bebe gets the scores she deserves!

Joe

 

[Mathman]

Katy Taylor.

 

[JonnyCoop]

I think it's premature to dub anyone as "the next big star" among Ladies until they get past the "danger ages" of 15, 16, and 17. In the US alone, in the past 20 years, I could give a list a mile long of young phenoms who were SUPPOSED to be the Next Big Thing but due to injury and/or "growing pains" (or, more accurately, injuries DUE to growing pains) that never made it -- Cindy Bortz, Shelby Lyons, Lisa Ervin, Deanna Stellato, Jessica Mills, Elizabeth Kwon, Sydne Vogel, Joanna Ng -- and that's just off the top of my head. (There's a fairly long Canadian list as well) And let's face it, given her physical condition, had Tara Lipinski not had her fabulous season from the 97 Nationals thru the Nagano Olympics, she might well be on this list, too.

This is what makes the accomplishments of Michelle and Irina even more remarkable -- these are two ladies who were actually SUPPOSED to be the "Next Big Thing" and they actually made it. Only time will tell with Meissner, Hughes, et al. STAR is a pretty big word to be tossing around at this stage in their careers.

 

[Eliza]

Don't forget Naomi Nari Nam. She's another one who vanished due to injury.

Eliza

 

[Tonichelle]

Katy Taylor.

I second that!!!!

 

[R.D.]

I second (or third?) this...I think it's too early to be dubbing anyone a "star". The media can say one thing, and someone else can come out as the "star".

 

[hockeyfan228]

Meissner is being pushed from several directions. At the Colonia Travel farewell dinner, not only were Pang/Tong guests, Wylie and Meissner were as well. P/T are represented by an agent from the same org as COI, and I believe the connection to Colonial was through the agent who accompanied them.

I wonder if Meissner is as well, or if it was the tie-in through ESPN/Disney. I can certainly see Meissner as the next big Disney skater -- she almost looks like a model for a Disney cartoon. That would explain her appearance on the Access show and her commentating stint during Ando's skate.

 

[tannisming]

I think the negative talk of Kimmie is just jealousy and a little fear thrown in. She is not afraid to push the envelope even if she doesn't succeed all the time. That's what it takes to progress and many fans don't want that envelope pushed. Kimmie inbodies the new, stronger woman's skater (with the exception of Midori and Harding). People will either get use to the changes in figure skating or spend the next ten years crying foul. I entend to enjoy it.

 

[Fossi]

I see no negative talk of Kimmie at all. I think she's amazing and will do just fine. I just don't think she's going to be the one to watch. My $$, and my support, are going to be with Emily unless Kimmie does something amazing.

 

[pipsqueak]

different styles

I'm just musing "aloud" here, but I believe we can't compare Kimmie&Emily b/c they have 2 different styles. Emily has a heavy, powerful ice presence, and Kimmie's is light and lyrical. Both are accomplished, but the scene is already set for "2 different camps" that just reflect preferences----if the comparisons begin, it will only get ugly.

Essentially I believe that when Michelle Kwan started her "run" at Kimmie's and Emily's ages, the only way others could "beat her" was to "out-Michelle Michelle Kwan". To a degree, they all set out idolizing her and using her own trademark moves as benchmarks in their own training and programs.....Tara, Sasha, Sarah.....they all strove to introduce the bigger, better spiral, the more technical spin, the choreographic extravaganza, the triple/triple, footwork, more flexibility etc., ALL designed to do what Michelle did---but more of it. Very normal competitive reaction. But between Kimmie and Emily, I think they are in their own orbits, developing VERY different styles and interpretations. (Personally, I'm relieved to see it coming, even tho' I love Michelle and the subsequent skaters who were out to "catch" her).

RE: Fossi--- I just noticed that you said "unless Kimmie does something amazing".....she does practice serial triple axels, and delivered a fairly clean one at Nationals(in her first Sr.Nationals--the guts to try it, the luck and pluck to land it). This WAS amazing. No other US women have been close for years. Didn't you find it amazing? I was impressed and a lot of news hounds spent a lot of time and ink talking about how impressed THEY were. I'm just curious about your amazement-o-mometer. What will it take (from any US woman skater?) to raise your amazement-o-meter?

 

[Mathman]

But between Kimmie and Emily, I think they are in their own orbits, developing VERY different styles and interpretations.

I like that analysis. And we can throw in Bebe's unique bravura, "ta-da!" style, too.

Right now, however, Mao Asada is miles ahead of any of the American girls, IMHO. I am trying to hold back on my Mao-gushing, because the last child star was Naomi Nari Nam, and for various reasons beyond her control she wasn't able to keep it up. (Speaking of someone who darn near out-Michelled Michelle, LOL.)

Yu-na Kim also seems to be farther along the learning curve than any of the Americans right now.

Mathman

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Well, it takes more than a triple axel to impress me. One jump does not a program make. I was way more impressed with the overall quality and performance ability of Bebe Liang than I was with Kimmie.

But Kimmie is clearly being hyped as the next big thing, so she will either rise to the occasion or collapse under the pressure.

I agree that Yu-Na Kim is a gorgeous skater, and hope she continues to improve.

 

[Ogre Mage]

Kim Meissner, Emily Hughes, Bebe Liang and Katy Taylor are all possible heirs to the USFSA crown. Kim is the most hyped but her overall skating isn't markedly better than the other 3. For 2007-10, one could emerge as the "Queen," or you could have a situation similar to the mid and late 1980s, with the U.S. title going back and forth between several skaters.

 

[ElvisStojkofan]

Beatrisa Liang

I think Beatrisa Lang is almost the complete package, her overrall skating is excellent. If she does well in her assigned events, I am sure she will be one of the contenders to go to the Olympics.

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[Mathman]

Well, it takes more than a triple axel to impress me. One jump does not a program make. I was way more impressed with the overall quality and performance ability of Bebe Liang than I was with Kimmie.

Ludmilla Nelidina had a fine triple Axel, but unfortunately the overall quality of her skating lagged behind, and she dropped out of the game altogether. Yukari Nakano at 16 nailed 7 triple Axels in a row in practice at Skate America, then did it in the free program. But she has not been able to challenge the top Japanese ladies.

It remains to be seen whether the new judging system will encourage skaters who want to push the technical envelope, or the opposite. Yoshie Onda -- once regarded as an excellent jumper -- landed only three triples in the Grand Prix final and said afterward, "Because of the CoP system, my programs are more complex (choreogrphically) than before and it is harder to skate clean."

Personally, I think the CoP ought to be redesigned to give greater rewards for the more spectacular technical elements, such as triple Axels and quads. At the least, a triple-triple for ladies should count for more than two jumps separately. If nothing else you should get credit for a "difficult entry" into the second jump. But the way the point system is designed now, it is not worth the risk.

About Bebe, I wish I knew what it is that the judges uniformly dislike about her skating. Maybe they think it is too choppy, compared to Kimmie, Emily and ther others.(?)

Mathman

 

[Mathman]

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Elvis Stojko: Heart of Gold

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Mathman

 

[nicole_l]

Personally, I think the CoP ought to be redesigned to give greater rewards for the more spectacular technical elements, such as triple Axels and quads. At the least, a triple-triple for ladies should count for more than two jumps separately. If nothing else you should get credit for a "difficult entry" into the second jump. But the way the point system is designed now, it is not worth the risk.

I agree. COP doesn't push the sport techncally. Artistically, it pushes it quite a bit, and I am so happy about that. But if skaters aren't rewarded for triple-triples, then ladies will stop doing them.

 

[brad640]

I think it's too early to be dubbing anyone a "star". The media can say one thing, and someone else can come out as the "star".

And sometimes the media frenzy becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Back when Lipinski was a junior competing with Sydney Vogel, Brennan spent a chapter of her book bemoaning all the attention Tara was getting at Vogel's expense. I think for some skaters the attention does a lot to build their confidence, and Kimmie may be one of those skaters. I'm sure it has boosted her self image to have Peggy Fleming take her under her wing and tell her she is the future of American figure skating. I'm sure those other girls were watching Kimmie's antics at the Moscow worlds and all the praise that was heaped on her . It remains to be seen whether they will fade away like Vogel or whether they will have the presence of mind to see through the hype and prove everyone wrong.

 

[NorthernLite]

we can't compare Kimmie&Emily b/c they have 2 different styles....the scene is already set for "2 different camps" that just reflect preferences----if the comparisons begin, it will only get ugly.

As opposed to how civilized the convos about Kwan, S.Hughes, Bobek, Cohen, etc. have been.

I believe that when Michelle Kwan started her "run" ... the only way others could "beat her" was to "out-Michelle Michelle Kwan". To a degree, they all set out idolizing her and using her own trademark moves as benchmarks in their own training and programs.....Tara, Sasha, Sarah..... ALL designed to do what Michelle did---but more of it.

Actually, MICHELLE is the one who often synthesized what *OTHERS* did. It annoys me to no end that people forget Nicole Bobek was the first one with the spectacular spiral, and after she beat Kwan at Nats & Worlds, Kwan started working on hers.
Other people had better laybacks, and Michelle first worked on hers, then when she still couldn't do it as well, introduced a variation (with a lower leg).
Tara, etc., came along with the 3-3s and Kwan tried (without as much success) to emphasize that.

And although at a younger age Sarah said she admired both Kwan and Tara, I don't think Tara or Sasha have ever said they looked up to Kwan. And why should they? These are *all* very competitive people who would do whatever it takes to win. (Short of knee whacking.)

As for the current crop of younguns, I like them all, but Kimmie is definitely being pushed as the "fairhaired one." However, as a longtime HughesI fan (and even a Bobek mid-90s fan), I know that the annointed does not always win.
Unfortunately there's also a lot of judging oddities occuring:
* Bebe being consistently undermarked,
* EH already showing signs of being more appreciated at internationals than at home (like her sister),
* Katy having such a bad Nats freeskate, and thus being a little off the radar,
* And what about Alissa C. and Jenny K in this mix?

I have a pessimistic feeling that the US Oly team's almost determined, no matter what happens in St. Louis. (If Kwan competes, it's her, Cohen and either Kirk or Meissner.) But then again, I'm even more sure that the deals have been struck for the Olympic podium. (Slimy Cinquanta's pushing gawky Kostner, for sure, and don't be surprised to see Irina getting gold or silver, even if she melts down.)

Can you tell I'm bored by Kwan, Slute, etc.? For me, the most interesting storyline in Ladiezzz skating is the sub-competition between the young 'Merikuns, along with the question of whether my girls Joannie and Shiz will bounce back.