I'm happy for Angela, but she's got her work cut out for her to make the World team at Nats. I could watch Angela skate all day, but the competition is tough as it is plus others have been out there competing. But congrats to Angela for winning this one. One stroke at a time...
I hope not to sound like the Wicked Witch of the West, but I have to agree with Mathman that NNN has lost too much ground and sustained an injury too severe for her to ever make it back to the elite eligible ranks. I also agree with Joe that pairs is not really an option because of the hip injury. Landing those throw jumps is even harder on the landing leg hip than regular triple jumps, plus they take practice, practice, practice. It's very hard to see someone you have such fond memories of and had such high hopes for try for a comeback and not make it, but if I'm not mistaken, Naomi is about 19 now. For one thing, she doesn't even look like the same skater who won the silver at Nats in '01. No question it would have been wonderful to see her progress, but to be frank, I think the real Naomi, even if she could get past the hip injury, could never live up to people's memories of her. There were so many things that endeared her to people in '01. The fall where she hit her head and got up and kept skating; that amazing layback spin; her "Itty Bitty Pitty One" exhibition program; her looks (so tiny and pretty); her voice; her personality; and all that energy in her skating. I know someone who saw her practice about a year ago and he said he would never have known it was NNN unless someone had told him. Not that that will make anybody feel any better--it will probably make people feel worse. It's heartbreaking to see someone with that kind of potential never be able to realize it. But such is life. Between dance and working in sports medicine, you see incredibly talented athletes have to give up their dreams for all kinds of reasons all the time. It's alwyas sad, but at least Naomi is still healthy and except for the hip injury, can still skate. Paul Binnebose was not the kind of memorable skater that Naomi was, but he was on his way to medalling in pairs at Nats when a fall almost cost him his life and did cost him normal brain and body function for life. I only bring up Paul Binnebose to underscore the point that things could be a lot worse.
Hopefully Naomi will either go to school, find another outlet for her talents and interests, or, as Mathman said, become a pro skater. It's highly unlikely it would be with COI or SOI, but there are other pro skating opportunities. Recently at Ice Theatre of New York I saw former US eligible ice dancers Eve Chalom and Mathew Gates. They skated with the group, not as a couple, which technically is much stronger than when I last saw ITNY in May '99. Even if I didn't like all the choreography, the skating looked challenging and there seemed to be a great "esprit de corps" among the skaters. Plus the audience was certainly apreciative. So there is skating life after eligible competitive skating and hopefully Naomi will find her niche. Most people have to let go of certain dreams at some point in their lives and move on. Naomi is fortunate in that a lot of people remember her and wish her all the best finding her way, wherever it may take her.
Rgirl
