For MK Fans Only: What will be your feelings

[berthes ghost]

Well, this isn't just about MK.

Over the MK years, I've had many other favorites in all disciplines. Now, almost across the boards I'm bored. Other than MK, there's almost no one.

Pairs: I like S&Z, but every other pair just puts me to sleep.

Mens: Yawn. The ones who peak my interest (Klimkin, Jubert, van der Perin) are so far down the ranks and so far away from consistant skating it creates another type of boredom.

Dance: OMG, could this discipline get any worse? I think that A&P in 00 was the last time I had any respect for the sport. B&K were good last year, but never really a favorite of mine. Now, there's no one I'm even curious about.

Ladies: Excluding MK, I suppose I'm interested in Fumie, Miki, Yoshie, A-P, Bebe, Viki, Carolina, Elena L, nad maybe a few others, but certainly none to the extent that I'm interested in MK.

So, for now, I'll have to go with 85% until someone truely wows me.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Excellent post Berthe - It's not just a Michelle thing. For me the question, will Bebe keep my interest? Could be Yukina but she won't be seen that much in the USA even if she wins Worlds.

I like all the boys you mentioned and agree their consistencies are most questionable. Maybe Evan Lysacek?

S&Z definitely. I'm tired of the 19th century ballet style. I see enough of that in the theatre. I just want to see great skating.

As for dance I could do without the strain on the faces of forced emotions in hideous costumes. for me, it's a "so bad looking" competition, that it's fun to watch and care less about who wins this thing. By the way, I'll have another martini.

Joe

 

[Pookie]

As much as I love Michelle's skating, I will still be a 100% skating fan. There is almost always someone else coming along to continue the interest. I saw Yukina Ota the other day for the first time and Shizuka Arakawa. They were both lovely skaters. I think it will be great to watch them develop. I also love Jenny Kirk. I hope she has great success.

 

[Hermione_Granger]

*shudders*

I'll still watch skating even after Michelle goes pro, but it really won't be the same. Michelle brings an incredible quality to the ice that can't be copied. She's truely a rare and wonderful skater.

--Hermione

 

[Ladskater]

For MK Fans Only: What will be your feelings

Joesitz:

Sorry, no insults intended, but this is a "no brainer" for me. I was a figure skater and fan figure skating fan long before Michelle came on the scene. I will still be watching and occasionally lacing on my skates in the winter to do a turn or two on the rink - with or without Michelle Kwan in the eligible ranks. Makes no difference to me.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Ladskater - This too, is not intended as an insult. I just never thought of you as being a Michelle fan from many of your other posts. I think you like her but don't 'love' her. And that's perfectly ok. I feel that way about many skaters.

So I am not surprised that you will continue to be a skating fan. So will I but not as enthusiastic (that could be age too, )

Joe

 

[cianni]

interest

I surprised myself this season and watched no comps. I forgot they were on. I will watch on occ. when Michelle retires because as many here have shared she brings something to the Ice that others dont, she brings herself her pure self. I get to see her through her skating. I also have seen no one as yet that I am really interested in. I will feel that hole. Maybe somone will catch my eye and spark an interest. Hopefully she will be with us a few more yrs.

 

[Kasey]

I love Michelle...I don't normally have much interest in ladies skating, I've always preferred men's. But she is amazing, elegant, classy both on and off the ice. And when she does retire, she will be missed. But my interest is the SPORT. I loved the sport before Michelle, and will love it after. If I didn't give it up when Paul Wylie and Alexei Yagudin retired, I won't with Michelle!

Kasey

 

[Doggygirl]

MK has made a significant mark on the sport...

...in a way that most skaters she has and does compete with have not yet made, and may never make. When I think back over the last several decades of skating, only a handful come to mind that have lasting and such memorable impact.

However, just like Peggy, Dorothy and others that had long amateur and professional careers, and go down in history among the "greats" I really believe another great one will come along. I voted as a 100% skating fan because I want to be watching as the next great skater comes along. I want to remember the early on performances before anyone knows for sure this is the next great skater at that very high level.

They are rare (I'm talking about the ones with not just a few great performances, but with Michelle level staying power) but they have evolved before and I believe will evolve again.


My 2 cents..

DG

 

[Grgranny]

I thought I had posted on this thread before but guess not.
I loved watching long before Michelle and will watch just as much after she's no longer skating. That is, if I'm still around.
As I have said before, I got interested when I was very small and saw Sonja Heine in the movies.

 

[Jhar55]

Even though I love Michelle's skating, I was a skating fan long before and will be after she leaves skating behind. There's always an up and comer out there somewhere that will catch your eye.
IMO if you only enjoy skating because of one skater your missing out on a lot.

 

[Bijoux]

so many gone

when you think of the babyboom and the number of skaters we won't see much more of all at once: Scott, Kirt, Kristy! (ouch!) Isabelle and Lloyd, Shae and Vic, Nancy Kerrigan, Orser, Btano, Josee, Dorothy, Tara, Sarah! Skating without Scott?

If I only watched one skater (great skater michelle) my heart would at least be broken only once.

I miss Dorothy, Nancy, Surya, Tara, Sarah and I still haven'y gotten over G&G. G alone is not really thrilling for me. I miss Sergei, still. And Witt still can skate a powerful number. I wish we could see Lucinda more. I miss the great Diane Biellman.

I miss Elvis and Todd competing. I was bereft when Wylie went away at his peak. I guess I love skating and a lot of skaters. Michelle will be around as a pro. She and her fans will not be parted, I hope. Gee, I wish I had a ton of tapes. Nostagia!

 

[PeaceOfKwan]

I said reduced to 85%, but I really hope some exciting new people come up and keep me at 100%! I really like Shizuka, and I'm sure there will be others.

 

[RealtorGal]

Re: so many gone

I miss the great Diane Biellman.

... and I miss the great DENISE Bielmann!

 

[Bijoux]

Thanks for the correction Realtor

OF course I meant Denise! These memory lapses are getting bad. I needn't worry with you around, RG.

Thanks, or should I just say, "Mooo!"? Did you once have a cow for a pic? (I lurked a long time). Or do I have you confused with another? I hope that isn't your dog! He looks rather mean and ferocious. Please feel free to correct my spelling and grammar as well, OK?

 

[jesslily]

I will still be a skating fan, mainly my 14 year old daughter is a skater. She started skating at 7 and now is a novice level skater.

 

[mzheng]

I voted 85%. May be even lower depends on if there is another one grabs mine attention.

I was a casual fan of FS before MK. It was MK through years grabs mine attention to the FS. Even then before 1998, I was not follow too closely with competetive skating, back then I was more interested in Pro comps, with Kurt, Paul, Brian, etc. in the comp.

It was after 1998 Olympic I got really interested in MK by watching her journy to the next Olympic. Then came to 2002 SLC, watching her failing at her conquest the OGM skated FOG with tears just broken my heart. It was after that I start searching/reading all those FS board. Then I never thought she would come back at 2003 with that fasion. I have to admit that before 2003 season I just watching the skating couldn't tell jumps apart. It was during 2003 season with all the talks of MK vs SH, SC on the web that make me learn more of technique/judge aspect of the sport. The more I've learn, it bring my interest to other deciplain like pairs and dances. I've been follow mens events with Yag in scene. Now with he retiring from eligible rink I've lost part of interest in men's field. But with S&Z I became more interested in pairs now.

See overall it was MK bring me INTO the FS.

 

[brenlynn]

I would hope that Michelle fans would watch skating just as much even with out her... I just tired of seeing that Michelle Kwan pratically equals figure skating

I don't enjoy skating any less now that Scott Hamilton does one or two shows a year, I enjoy it so much more. When/if Kurt retires I don't plan on being bummed and forgetting about the sport.

and that's what draws the fine line between a skating fan and a michelle fan

when i first got hooked into skating, it was because of oksana, but watching oksana opened my eyes up to other amazingly talented skaters. i think some people just tend to focus on one skater, in this case, michelle and shut the rest of the skating world out, because to many of them michelle is skating and the rest is just minor details. i'm just telling it like i see it. i, for one cannot wait until she retires or someone just knocks her right off her throne. i've seen enough already. i have tremendous respect for the lady and all she has done for the sport, but it's getting a bit old now. i'd much rather see someone knock her right off her throne for satisfactions sake, kind of the way i felt when evgeni got beat twice this season.

that's my opinion and im entitled to it!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

and that's what draws the fine line between a skating fan and a michelle fan
i think some people just tend to focus on one skater,

The topic was addressed to the MK Fans and their replies varied in their choices. Those who are not fans of MK and replied to the thread, of course, chose the first option, and so they should.

However, I do agree with you that some fans focus on one skater and there are a number of fan based forums to substantiate that claim. I won't list those forums because I am sure you are aware of what they are. I also find that some fans are hung up on ethnic and national backgrounds; at least from their many posts the tendency is there. Does any of this upset me? NO!! That's what a forum is all about, i.e., To sound off without offending the reader or the makeup of the forum.

Cheers - Joe

 

[Jimmy Hoffa]

I'm sorry that as an MK fan we can't all be as disgustingly perfect and pious as those of you who don't like her, yet can't read well enough to STAY THE HELL OUT of a thread entitled "For MK Fans Only".

Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. Some of you are the same idiots who barge in on forums dedicated to Kwan and then are stupid enough to whine because the posters dare to think she is the best skater or don't care for your favorite skater.

You know, there are fans of other skaters who only like those skaters. And some who root for other ladies skaters ONLY because they hate Kwan, not because they actually like the skater, but apparently that's okay. Kwan fans are the only ones who don't deserve that right.

Like I said, the highlight of Kwan retiring will be having to no longer deal with the self-righteous piggy snots who revel in thinking they're so much better than Kwan and her fans.