Any Sasha updates?

[R.D.]

^ Hey, what happened to "the suckage that is the GP?"

you beat me to it. The whole post had to go...but in general, it's true

OT, but we really are suckers to be interested in the Grand Prix when the skaters themselves care so little about it that they can't be bothered to show up at the finals.

Yeah, skaters seem to be pulling out left and right here. I guess it's due to it being an Olympic year. Should the Final be jettisoned in Olympic years? What about Worlds right after the Olys?

 

[janetfan]

you beat me to it. The whole post had to go...but in general, it's true



Yeah, skaters seem to be pulling out left and right here. I guess it's due to it being an Olympic year. Should the Final be jettisoned in Olympic years? What about Worlds right after the Olys?

Maybe if they all cancel Sasha will show up, do an uncontested skate and walk off with the GPF title.

It is such a meaningless title in an Olympic year and I wish Jeremy would bail on the GPF to save himslef for Natls and Olympics.

 

[Mathman]

I wish Jeremy would bail on the GPF to save himslef for Natls and Olympics.

I don't. If you promise to skate, you should skate. (JMO.)

 

[janetfan]

I don't. If you promise to skate, you should skate. (JMO.)

Maybe you are right about that. Nothing wrong with keeping your word and if he is as tired as he was last year at Worlds what difference does it make to fans?

We aren't the one's following a dream.

ETA: And figure skating is such an ethical sport it makes good sense to play by the rules

 

[Mathman]

An interesting question. In 1997 Michelle Kwan was having a lot of trouble with her boots. She probably should have switched to a different manufacturer. But, through the agency of her father, Michelle had signed an agreement with the boot-maker that she would endorse this particular brand of boot and wear them during the Olympic season.

The Kwans would not go back on their word. It might have cost Michelle the 1998 Olympic gold medal.

(This is detailed, by the way, in Christine Brennan's book, The Edge of Glory. The chapter on Michelle's dismal 1997 year was titled "Boots, Brain, and Body" -- as in, these were Michelle's problems that year.)

Now that Michelle's skating carrer is behind her, her medals safely put away in boxes, I wonder if she regrets that decision her father made for her, or whether she is proud of it.

 

[janetfan]

An interesting question. In 1997 Michelle Kwan was having a lot of trouble with her boots. She probably should have switched to a different manufacturer. But, through the agency of her father, Michelle had signed an agreement with the boot-maker that she would endorse this particular brand of boot and wear them during the Olympic season.

The Kwans would not go back on their word. It might have cost Michelle the 1998 Olympic gold medal.

(This is detailed, by the way, in Christine Brennan's book, The Edge of Glory. The chapter on Michelle's dismal 1997 year was titled "Boots, Brain, and Body" -- as in, these were Michelle's problems that year.)

Now that Michelle's skating carrer is behind her, her medals safely put away in boxes, I wonder if she regrets that decision her father made for her, or whether she is proud of it.

A good story but I have no idea if she thinks about her boots along with what could have been in 1998.

Has Michelle ever written an autobiograpghy? It might be an interesting read.....

Getting back to GP's and the GPF - how good was Michelle's attendance at these events? Did she skip quite a few or was she always a good soldier for ISU?

 

[Tinymavy15]

A good story but I have no idea if she thinks about her boots along with what could have been in 1998.

Has Michelle ever written an autobiograpghy? It might be an interesting read.....

I think she did....but it was a long time ago, either right before or right after the 1998 olympics. Of course there were no dramatic details, just fluff about how she worked hard as a girl and missed her family while training in lake arrowhead etc.

 

[R.D.]

Getting back to GP's and the GPF - how good was Michelle's attendance at these events? Did she skip quite a few or was she always a good soldier for ISU?

I don't know pre-2002 but 2002 and later she only did 2002 SA as a replacement (and won). By a fluke it was actually enough to qualify her for the GPF, which she bailed out on. After that she never did another GP event up to her demise in 2006

 

[623]

A good story but I have no idea if she thinks about her boots along with what could have been in 1998.

Has Michelle ever written an autobiograpghy? It might be an interesting read.....

Here it is - her autobiography:

http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Kwan-Heart-Champion-Autobiography/dp/0590763407

 

[janetfan]

I don't know pre-2002 but 2002 and later she only did 2002 SA as a replacement (and won). By a fluke it was actually enough to qualify her for the GPF, which she bailed out on. After that she never did another GP event up to her demise in 2006

Thanks, I couldn't remember the details.
But "demise" ?

I think there is life after skating and Michelle appears to be doing pretty well for herself. :yes:

 

[Mathman]

Michelle's autobiography is more of a children's book -- "go out there and give it your all, etc." What I really wish she would talk about -- but she never will -- is what was going through her mind (what mind? ) in 2001 when she sent her choreographer and then her coach packing.

About Michelle and the Grand Prix:

1994-95, Skate America and Trophee Lalique (now Eric Bompard). There was no final.

1995-96, Skate America, Skate Canada, and Nations Cup (Germany, later Sparkasse Cup), Finals (then called the Championship Series Final).

1996-97, Skate America, Trophee Lalique, Finals.

1997-98, Skate America, Skate Canada. She withdrew form her third event and the Final, her leg in a cast from a stress fracture in her foot.)

1998-99. She did not participate in the Grand Prix.

1999-2000, Skate America, Skate Canada, Final.

2000-01, Skate America, Skate Canada, Final.

2001-02, Skate America, Skate Canada, Final.

2002-03. She intended not to participate in the Grand Prix. The USFSA coaxed her into do Skate America, with the understanding that she would not be expected to skate again that year. (Based on that one appearance, she made the finals on a fluke, but declined to participate.)

In both 2000-04 and 2004-05, if I remember correctly, she submitted her name at the beginning of the season, but withdrew from the participation in the series.

As they say in horse racing, they rode her hard and put her away wet.

 

[R.D.]

^ I see a trend. She stayed mostly in North America- perhaps, to minimize the amount of traveling during the season. I wonder if this was by chance or whether it was a strategic move- one that certain skaters right now might be able to benefit from.

 

[Olympia]

I had forgotten about Michelle's endorsement deal with the boots. I like to think that if someone asked her now, she'd express satisfaction about the fact that her family kept their word. Actually, I think it likelier that Michelle would just smile and deflect the question. She doesn't seem like someone who looks back, only forward, and she certainly doesn't seem to be the sort that talks about her innermost feelings to the public. There's something refreshing in that.

Like you, Mathman, I'd give a lot to hear her story of why she left her coach right before the 2002 Olympics. And thanks for posting the statistics of her GP participation! She does seem like someone who did what people expected of her. I think she left skating in good odor, as they say, respected by the brass as well as by us fans. It wasn't just her skating style that was mature; it was her behavior.

The most satisfying thing about Michelle right now is that, sparkling as her skating career was, her post-skating life seems even more promising. This lady isn't going to spend her life lamenting the lack of an Olympic gold. When I contrast her post-skating activities to those of the skater who beat her to the top of the podium in 1998, Tara Lipinski, I really feel sad for Lipinski. It's been almost 12 years since Nagano. Tara hasn't gotten a college education, hasn't really found a new career, hasn't started a family. Will that Olympic moment be the high point in her life? Golly, I hope not. But I have no such worries about Michelle. Or Sarah Hughes, for that matter, who's just graduated from college herself.

Back to Sasha: I always hope for her to come through in the end and to do well. If not, we can always devote ourselves to the men's and ice dancing competitions. Sigh. Wait 'til 2014!

 

[623]

I really feel sad for Lipinski. It's been almost 12 years since Nagano. Tara hasn't gotten a college education, hasn't really found a new career, hasn't started a family. Will that Olympic moment be the high point in her life?

But how do we know that Tara is not happy? Did she ever give an interview expressing her regret about the way her life progressed? Many people do not have college education and are perfectly happy with it. And maybe Tara does not consider it important to start a family. I think (correct me if I am wrong) that she has a lot of money from her endorsment deals. Maybe she just wants to live comfortably for the rest of her life. What is wrong with that?

 

[R.D.]

True, there's no knowing how she truly feels.

But there still seems to be a bit of resentment from certain skatefans regarding Lipinski. Hello, it was 12 YEARS ago! :chorus:

 

[janetfan]

True, there's no knowing how she truly feels.

But there still seems to be a bit of resentment from certain skatefans regarding Lipinski. Hello, it was 12 YEARS ago! :chorus:

There are resentments that go back much further than 12 years ago for some fans.

In the case of 1998 we remember how the votes fell and which group of judges preferred Tara and which preferred Michelle.

There were also comments made that have not been forgotten.
Sometimes I wonder if Irina might have won Gold in SLC if not for some of the bad feelings from Nagano. You know what they say about "payback"?

I also think feelings about 1998 might depend on our ages. Fans who were not very old didn't experience it the way some of us did. Watching on YouTube is good but hardly compares to watching the competition unfold.

Had I been a judge I would have placed Michelle first that night because her skating was technically very good and her artistry superior to Tara.

Maybe I am not fit to be a judge

 

[623]

There were also comments made that have not been forgotten.
Sometimes I wonder if Irina might have won Gold in SLC if not for some of the bad feelings from Nagano. You know what they say about "payback"?

Sorry for being ignorant but what are you talking about? What happened in Nagano? Did Irina say something rude?

 

[janetfan]

Sorry for being ignorant but what are you talking about? What happened in Nagano? Did Irina say something rude?

Not that I am aware of. I always liked Irina very much and was referring to comments made by others.

 

[R.D.]

Don't want to go too far OT but I remember, growing up in the Houston area- was still a young kid when Lipinski won- the whole town supported her (she trained in Sugar Land, a distant suburb of the city)...I was really glad she won. Then I didn't watch any more skating until SLC 2002. Then, ever since...

 

[janetfan]

Don't want to go too far OT but I remember, growing up in the Houston area- was still a young kid when Lipinski won- the whole town supported her (she trained in Sugar Land, a distant suburb of the city)...I was really glad she won. Then I didn't watch any more skating until SLC 2002. Then, ever since...

The home of the dancing king Tom "twinkle toes" Delay.