New NY Times article on Sasha

[millie]

Well- she is a US champion now.

Yes, and she will go to the Olympics as the U.S. National champion and earned her spot on the Olympic Team. That will mean something in the eyes of the judges.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Yes, and she will go to the Olympics as the U.S. National champion and earned her spot on the Olympic Team. That will mean something in the eyes of the judges.

Not only US National champion but twice Worlds Silver medalist.

RD, why bring up Kwan?

Joe

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Not only US National champion but twice Worlds Silver medalist.

RD, why bring up Kwan?

Joe

Red Dog loves Kwan... he just won't admit it

 

[R.D.]

RD, so when did that happen?????

Dee

IS won the world championship twice, and MK 5 times

 

[R.D.]

RD, why bring up Kwan?

It was in a favorable light FYI.

Red Dog loves Kwan... he just won't admit it

Don't count on it.

 

[Rgirl]

"I think my focus a couple of years ago was only on getting first place, and it didn't matter if I couldn't do half the things," she said. "I just wanted to win, and that was that. It seemed like the only object of the competition. Now it's about performance. It's about personal best."...

Cohen moved on to Robin Wagner,..but they clashed.

Wagner said Cohen was reluctant to repeatedly practice sections of her programs, for consistency's sake, and that Cohen did not like stepping out of her comfort zone.

"She was searching and searching to figure out how to pull the best performance out of herself," Wagner said. "But sometimes, you want things too much. She was afraid of making mistakes."

In the past, Cohen said, she would try to skate flawlessly and would become a nervous wreck. Even in practices, she worried about the slightest glitch. With a mistake came emotional chaos, she said.

At worst, she would fly into a tizzy. At best, she would lose her focus.

"I felt like everybody was waiting for me to make a mistake, then if I made one, they said, 'O.K., that's it, it's over,' " Cohen said, especially sensitive of critics' claims that she is unable to put together two clean performances. "It wasn't fair. With other skaters, they would consider the entire program. It gets to you after a while."

The bold sections are mine. I highlighted them because each one cites a different reason for Cohen's problems with consistency, all ones I've read in GS posts. The difference is, most people were convinced it was just one thing. "She wants to win too much," someone would say. "She can't keep her focus," would say another. Only a few people said they felt it was a combination of factors such as the ones noted in this article.

Whether Cohen skates well enough to win the OGM is something we'll just have to wait and see. The important thing about this and the article from NBC's Olympic site, IMO, is that Cohen understands the journey she has gone through with her attitude towards her skating and competition. She has the mental understanding now, it seems; the question IMO is whether this understanding has transferred to her skating.

I have a hard time using Nationals as a measure of Cohen's progress because she competed just coming out of the flu, being in bed for three or four days, and unable to practice a full runthrough of her LP even prior to the competition, IIRC. Perhaps two years ago she would have fallen, doubled jumps, and had a competition comparable to Johnny Weir's "dear in the headlights" Nationals LP in either '04 or '03.

Whatever happens at the Olympics, good for Sasha for recognizing and acknowledging how her psychological attitude have been contributing to her problems with consistency. It seems that back in '02, she focused only on the finish line, so to speak. Now it seems that she's focusing on the journey of the race, including training. JMO, and as I said, whether this understanding in her head will work in her body remains to be seen.

One point about all the World gold medals Sasha doesn't have: Sasha has competed at Worlds four times, plus the '02 Olympics for a total of five "big ones." At her first three "big ones" she finished fourth; at the last two she's finished second. When Johnny Weir finished fourth at his first Worlds as National champion, Terry Gannon said something like, "Wow! Fourth place at his first Worlds. That's really something."

For Sasha, finishing fourth at the '02 Olympics, which was before she'd ever been to Worlds, was considered a disappointing finish, as was her fourth place finish at the '02 Worlds. So it seems she is right about there having been a double standard for her in the views of the commentators and media.

But as Kwanford Wife pointed out, life isn't fair. Right now she's saying and hopefully thinking what sound like the "right" things regarding the mental part of skating. When she gets on the ice in Torino, we'll see whether or not the mental understanding is also physical understanding.

But good for Sasha for coming out of what was clearly a difficult three years having learned positive things from it and able to appreciate the importance of the journey.

Rgirl

 

[R.D.]

I don't think the Nationals are ANY indicator. You just never know how even an experienced competitor or consistent skater will handle the pressure, never mind anyone else.

 

[Dee4707]

But good for Sasha for coming out of what was clearly a difficult three years having learned positive things from it and able to appreciate the importance of the journey. Rgirl

I agree that the last few years have been difficult for Sasha on both skating and psychological levels. The not perfect skates probably drove the inadequacies deeper. I hope she has the skate of her life at the Olympics.

Dee

 

[Kwanford Wife]

It was in a favorable light FYI.



Don't count on it.

"You have a crush on her, you love her... and want to have 10,000 of her babies..."

(please excuse my obsession for the American Beauty movie...)

 

[R.D.]

and who's "her", pray tell...?

 

[Peggy]

I hope that you will say that about other skaters too, not just Sasha. Many skaters will be standing without non-gold medals or none at all.

Dee

ITA, I'm hoping Sasha has the skate of her life at the Olympics because she is just a joy to watch and I want her to be happy with her performance. I know I wouldn't be as excited about the Olympics if Sasha wasn't there so I really don't want to hear the negative junk.

I hope the focas will be on her gifts and bringing figuer skating up a notch in the artistic department, and not every mistake she ever made. She is awesome and deserves some credit for her hard work and her contribution to the sport.

 

[dancindiva03]

One point about all the World gold medals Sasha doesn't have: Sasha has competed at Worlds four times, plus the '02 Olympics for a total of five "big ones." At her first three "big ones" she finished fourth; at the last two she's finished second. When Johnny Weir finished fourth at his first Worlds as National champion, Terry Gannon said something like, "Wow! Fourth place at his first Worlds. That's really something."

For Sasha, finishing fourth at the '02 Olympics, which was before she'd ever been to Worlds, was considered a disappointing finish, as was her fourth place finish at the '02 Worlds. So it seems she is right about there having been a double standard for her in the views of the commentators and media.

Obviously I can speak only for myself, but I didn't consider Sasha's 4th place finish at the Olys as disappointing on the whole. Before the games started, I had absolutely no expectations for her. The "disappointing" part comes into play I think because she had a good SP and was in the hunt for a medal. The disappointment (not for me, I really don't care if she ever gets an Oly medal of any color, but obviously it matters to many others) was for what could have been. She showed that she was a contender, then cracked. I don't think there is any double standard. Plus, she hyped herself, even before she skated in SLC, in a fluff piece, she herseld said "I definitely consider myself to be one of the top skaters in the world," or something to that effect, so right there she set the stage for disappointment. JMHO, of course, but thats how I see it. Sasha is not a victim of some double standard; she made her bed, now she must lie in it.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Before the 2002 Olys, there was in Golden Skate a strong feeling that Sasha would pull a Tara, otherwise Irina would win. Michelle had a slew of nervous fans. Who would've thought Miss Hughes.

 

[R.D.]

I wonder if a similar scenario is waiting to unfold in Torino. I'd love it if the winner were once again someone that no one predicted to win- or hardly anyone, for that matter. Suppose...Carolina wins? Shizuka wins? Miki wins? Elena S. wins? don't laugh, you just never know these days.

 

[tarotx]

Sasha didn't cracked at the 2002 Olympics. She went for a hard element because it was the Olympics. She set down the the back end of her 3flutz-3toe but other than that she was pretty clean. If Sarah didn't have the long program of her life Sasha might have medaled.

 

[soogar]

Sasha didn't cracked at the 2002 Olympics. She went for a hard element because it was the Olympics. She set down the the back end of her 3flutz-3toe but other than that she was pretty clean. If Sarah didn't have the long program of her life Sasha might have medaled.

I think Sasha should have medalled. She had more risk than Michelle and Irina and better style than both of them. The judges should have found a way to get her on the podium.

 

[Dee4707]

and who's "her", pray tell...?

Her is............ Cupcake. Fess up RD, you know you love her.

Dee

 

[FreeKatie]

In the last 3 Olympic ladies' finals, the favorite hasn't won, (Nancy, Michelle, Irina/Michelle) so I think just looking at the math, Sasha has a good shot to win.
But at Nationals she looked like she was being extra careful not to make mistakes, I think she can skate better than that (be more expressive).

Irina & Michelle, who knows what kind of shape they'll be in, they are old and falling apart. Just kidding. Irina definitely has the most pressure on her to win.

 

[dancindiva03]

I think Sasha should have medalled. She had more risk than Michelle and Irina and better style than both of them. The judges should have found a way to get her on the podium.

The judges "should have found a way to ge her on the podium."???? What kind of crap is that? She didn't get the job done. She fell right on her butt. Say what you will of her "style," but it is not everyone's cup of tea. Beisdes, she was far slower than the top ladies, her edges were very poor back then, and anyway, its not all about who takes the risks. It''s who takes the risks and is successful with them. Sasha earned 4th place.

 

[R.D.]

yes, in a sense I agree. It's not just taking the risks, but being successful. But will that change now with the new system?