Sasha's Movie -- First Review
- Thread starter attyfan
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- Jul 28, 2003
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2005
I will just wait for the DVD.
I will wait until it's free on DirecTV.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
Do I have to know her personally? well, it's one thing to appreciate one's skating and it's another to acknowledge the flaws in their personality. You have to give it to her that she's not known for being the nicest skater out there, if anything, she's notorious for being aggressive and for skating close to her competitors on purpose during warmups. I was trying to find for you the video a while ago, where Dick, Peggy, etc, were saying that Sasha is notorious for her habit of trying to beat everyone to the ice in the warmup, to the point that Jenny Kirk got annoyed and jumped over the boards herself to beat Sasha to the ice at Nationals one time. (but sorry, I don't have time cos I have an exam this friday) And I was struck by the way she spoke of Michelle in 2006. Most of the US competitors show a certain deference to Michelle for her experience but none of that from Sasha. Asked how she felt about michelle dropping out of Turin by Katie Couric, I think she just said she wants to concentrate on her own game and that it doesn't matter to her. I couldn't help but think it was a bit callous of her, especilaly days after she had said she disapproved of Michelle being on the olypmic team because she had already made it to the games twice in her career. Well, sounds like she's trying to do just that herself if she wants to stick around for 2010.
I do agree about the reputation - would have loved to see the Jenny/Sasha thing but I don't recall her saying she disapproved of Kwan skating b/c she had already been to the Olympics.
Sasha said that she thought that the skaters who earned their spots at Nationals should be the ones to go to the Olympics. She never actually said Michelle's name, but it was assumed that she was speaking about Michelle because she had been asked her opinion on the whole Michelle getting a bye situation. I do remember it being discussed on the skating forums as a swipe at Michelle.
She never said anything about any skater (Michelle) going to the Olympics because she had already been to two.
I believe this is the fluffpiece in question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42PsOScFITg
It's interesting at best, but I'd have liked to see more "proof" of her habit... ah well.
Kypma
I do remember them saying she elbowed past Jenny once. Is that from teh same competition, or another? I don't think Sasha makes a secret of her feelings towards Michelle Kwan. I think she said she felt the Olympics were HER time. Many in skating said she was upset because she felt she was the #1 US skater at that time but the focus was on Kwan. Were they ever close? I remember when Sasha went up to Sarah Hughes and told her she should've beaten Kwan at a competition. Both Sarah and Robin were very embarassed because Michelle was right there, but Sasha didn't care. I wonder why Sasha seemed was so like that about Michelle?
say what?
Link, video or quote here?
The two of them competed directly against each other, nationally and internationally, for many years; I don't expect them to be exactly buddy-buddy. Maybe to appease the fans she should gush about her and tell them how much of a fan of her she is.
Cohen did a lot of things that cast her in an unfavorable light. But I think she was used to everyone telling her how great she was.
Sasha once said in an interview that she wasn't friends with any of her competitors. She said she was there to win, not be friends.
There are lots of pictures of Sasha in her skating days, hanging around with the male skaters, pairs or ice dancers, but never with her direct competitors.
There are lots of pictures of Sasha in her skating days, hanging around with the male skaters, pairs or ice dancers, but never with her direct competitors.
say what?
Link, video or quote here?
The two of them competed directly against each other, nationally and internationally, for many years; I don't expect them to be exactly buddy-buddy. Maybe to appease the fans she should gush about her and tell them how much of a fan of her she is.
I actually respect Cohen for never sucking up to Michelle. It's disingenuous to pretend to adore the very skater you are trying to beat.
In fact, Hughes is a lot worse than Cohen in this department. She admitted having once admired Michelle and being starstruck to see her, but then taking down all the Michelle Kwan posters in her room afterwards. Geez, that sounded mean. She shouldn't have said that. Somehow, Sarah Hughes always ends up being the master of backhanded compliments. "I used to adooooooore Michelle but I took down her posters cause I've gotten over my admiration for her." Gee, thanks, Sarah!
Sarah is actually my favorite skater and she continues to this day to say she has extreme respect for Kwan. Sometimes I wonder if it was because her coach knew the amount of admiration that the US fans had towards Michelle and she coached Sarah on what to say in regards to Kwan. Smart move from a media savvy coach and pupil! In that, there's a difference between havign respect for someone and then being a direct competitor. You have to lose the idolization or you'll never be able to defeat them. I don't have the direct link to the Sarah/Robin quotes about Sasha saying that to Sarah but it was after Skate America. Everyone, including media reporters, felt Sarah won. Evidently Sasha thought so too, and said so loudly in front of Michelle. This really embarassed Sarah and Robin. Certainly someone has the link somewhere as it was widely discussed on the boards, and in the skating community.
Good point, actually.
And I'd take Cohen's approach to MK any day over Hughes. I'm not sure about saying directly within earshot that she should have been beaten, but definitely the "competitors, not friends" approach. I get sick and tired of some of these skaters who said they looked up to her and they then had to compete directly against her. Whatever...please.
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I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who's been here longer than a couple years that Sarah (was) your favorite skater.
I was fairly neutral on her, didn't care much about her one way or the other. She wasn't around long enough after her OLY win for me to get much of an idea of her skating-wise, though. What I do remember about her, looking back, is that I can't say I really dug her persona much. I'm seeing much of the same thing with Emily. Everything about both of them just says "ELITIST" in my mind...but of course, that's my own world there lol.
That said, I did think the dumping on her when she did SOI was a little more than too much.
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IIRC, Sarah never said that she got over her admiration of Michelle; she took down her posters when she felt herself more as competitors. I don't think this is disingenuous or hypocritical at all for Sarah to recognize that she and Michelle were not quite at the same level when Sarah first came up to seniors and then, only after a few years -- when she got better -- to then think of them more as competitors. This strikes me as a natural development, not as any backhanded anything.
I have to agree Red Dog...I get the same elitist vibe from both...Not sure if its the insinuation that they are somehow better because they pursue college on a full time basis at very good school (I don't have a problem with the school they attend) but there seems to be this idea that because they balance an Ivy school and skating, they are somehow better than the skater who attends a community college and skates. I've had community college classes that were MUCH harder then classes I've taken at the Ivy I spent time at. I'm not belittling the Hughes' respect for a good education and the desire to attend a good school, but I feel the way they articulate their desire to skate and go to school is done in a way that it rubs in the faces of others - like saying "I'm balancing Harvard/Yale AND skating - and you're balancing ACME community college and skating"....just my own opinion though.
Oh, but I do prefer Emily's skating to her sister. I like her aggressive side...I'd just prefer to see some better music choices for her.
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