LA Times on Michelle's Test Skate

[Mathman]

I think Doggygirl gave the best summary of this article. It seems to me to be fairly balanced, mentioning but not overly dwelling on the criticism that Michelle's bye has sparked while at the same time acknowledging Michelle's unique position in the sport. As a newspaper, naturally they support the position that the test skate should be open to the press.

As for Michelle,

"She's got a ticket to ride...
She's got a ticket to ri-i-ide,
She's got a ticket to ride,
And she don't care!"

MM

 

[Piel]

Sooger,

You know that more than just the jumps are considered. Emily's skate at Nationals was not an Olympic ready skate. Take out the jumps alltogether and compare Kwan and Hughes II...Kwan is miles ahead of Emily. You have not seen Kwan skate her test skate so how can you judge it? OTOH we have seen EH's skates at Nationals and she did not skate well enough to make the Olympic team according to the USFSOC. Marshall's was NOT an Olympic trial. Give it up already!

 

[mzheng]

As for Michelle,

"She's got a ticket to ride...
She's got a ticket to ri-i-ide,
She's got a ticket to ride,
And she don't care!"

MM

What a Michelle song!

The fans at other side would be mad to vomit the blood.

 

[Piel]

Michelle will have to do better. It would be an embarrassment if she skates at the Olympics like she did at 2005 Worlds.

And it would be more of an embarrasment if the committee sends Hughes II and she skates the LP she did at Nationals, especially knowing they could have sent Kwan instead.

 

[tarotx]

Emily isn't an issue here. The issue is that Michelle was selected for the team because she has a good chance to medal. If she doesn't skate at a level that could win a medal why does she deserve a bye? She didn't compete at Nationals or any judged event this season. No one knows what level she is at. That's why a lot of people feel Michelle's test skate should be critiqued at a high standard.

That said I say even if Michelle is in off season shape (like she was at Marshalls) her record this quad should make it only necessary for her to prove she's healthy enough that she will be able to take the ice in Torino.

 

[soogar]

And it would be more of an embarrasment if the committee sends Hughes II and she skates the LP she did at Nationals, especially knowing they could have sent Kwan instead.

I think Baby Hughes has more of a chance of upping her game than Michelle will. Michelle skated like crap at worlds and was held up based on last world's momentum. She has absolutely no momentum at all and she hasn't competed in a real competition this year. We all know how that strategy worked for her at Worlds. But fans guess that she will pull out the stops and improve upon her performances despite losing practice time to injury and having not competed with those programs in competition.

 

[Piel]

And who do you suggest they send to critigue the test skate? The USFSOC is following THE RULES that are in place for this situation.. Surely you are not suggesting that they hold Kwan to a special set of rules just for her. That would be giving her preferential treatment, wouldn't it?

 

[tarotx]

I think Baby Hughes has more of a chance of upping her game than Michelle will. Michelle skated like crap at worlds and was held up based on last world's momentum. She has absolutely no momentum at all and she hasn't competed in a real competition this year. We all know how that strategy worked for her at Worlds. But fans guess that she will pull out the stops and improve upon her performances despite losing practice time to injury and having not competed with those programs in competition.

Michelle didn't skate like grap at worlds. She finished 4th! And if you don't count qualifying she was third after the short and long and that is all the Olympics have.

 

[Piel]

I think Baby Hughes has more of a chance of upping her game than Michelle will. Michelle skated like crap at worlds and was held up based on last world's momentum. She has absolutely no momentum at all and she hasn't competed in a real competition this year. We all know how that strategy worked for her at Worlds. But fans guess that she will pull out the stops and improve upon her performances despite losing practice time to injury and having not competed with those programs in competition.

Let me get this straight...at the 2005 World Championships in Moscow, Russia Kwan was held up?
:chorus: :chorus: :chorus: :chorus:

 

[soogar]

Let me get this straight...at the 2005 World Championships in Moscow, Russia Kwan was held up?
:chorus: :chorus: :chorus: :chorus:

If she were a lesser skater like Rochette, she would have been buried in the QR for that crappy LP with what, 3 triples? Her clean SP would have received similar scores to Rochette and that LP was garbage. Lots of holding up based on prior achievements.

 

[Piel]

Who in her qualifying group did she place ahead of that outskated her? According to you Kwan has never done a legitimate thing in her career. Once or twice over 12 years I could see that a skater might be overmarked. You sound like she has been over marked every time she skates. Even Kween Kwan doesn't THAT much power over that many judging panels year after year.

I can see the judges now.."Ooh it's Michell Kwan let's reward her for past merit and put her in FOURTH PLACE.

 

[curious]

If she were a lesser skater like Rochette, she would have been buried in the QR for that crappy LP with what, 3 triples? Her clean SP would have received similar scores to Rochette and that LP was garbage. Lots of holding up based on prior achievements.

Her russian coach Rafael was the reason she did not end up fifth or sixth in moscow

 

[R.D.]

Her russian coach Rafael was the reason she did not end up fifth or sixth in moscow

We'll see how things go Friday. But I believe you and I already know the outcome of this. They'll put her on the team no matter what...unless she absolutely can't jump at all.

 

[attyfan]

Here is another article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11021753

According to this one, "Kwan will do run-throughs of her short program and free skate for the five-member committee. " The committee members are: "U.S. Figure Skating international committee chairman Bob Horen, technical controller Charlie Cyr, world judge Paula Naughton, international judge Lorrie Parker, and athlete representative Brittney Bottoms."

According to a poster on another board, Brittney Bottoms was known as Brittney McConn when she competed.

Does anyone know the difference between a world judge and an international judge?

 

[soogar]

Her russian coach Rafael was the reason she did not end up fifth or sixth in moscow

I wish Rafael had as much pull for Sasha Abt.

 

[rjulie510]

Her russian coach Rafael was the reason she did not end up fifth or sixth in moscow

Rafael is Armenian, not Russian.

 

[curious]

I wish Rafael had as much pull for Sasha Abt.

poor abt didn't have countless titles or michell's popularity plus he was leaving in the yags/plush era

 

[curious]

We'll see how things go Friday. But I believe you and I already know the outcome of this. They'll put her on the team no matter what...unless she absolutely can't jump at all.

Yep

 

[Doggygirl]

Here is another article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11021753

According to this one, "Kwan will do run-throughs of her short program and free skate for the five-member committee. " The committee members are: "U.S. Figure Skating international committee chairman Bob Horen, technical controller Charlie Cyr, world judge Paula Naughton, international judge Lorrie Parker, and athlete representative Brittney Bottoms."

According to a poster on another board, Brittney Bottoms was known as Brittney McConn when she competed.

Does anyone know the difference between a world judge and an international judge?

Thanks for this link Attyfan. I too am interested in the difference between a "World Judge" and an "International Judge." I'm also interested in opinions about this particular panel in general. Obviously the USFSA believes (I assume) that this is a well qualified panel - I just don't recognize the names, which doesn't mean a hill of beans since I don't regularly follow the officials of the sport on an individual basis. (LOL, except for the specific ones who have been called out in SCANDALS!!)

DG

 

[attyfan]

According to a poster on FSU, a world judge can judge at ISU championship events, including Worlds and Olys. The tech specialist is also a World judge. International judges can judge at lesser ISU events. I also read on another board that Cyr didn't like the idea of a bye to begin with, but I do not know if this is or is not true.