This is Whack!!

[millie]

Now that Sasha has not made the Opening Olympic Parade, does that mean the NON Kwans will stop berating Michelle for not being at thel opening in Naganao?

Joe

Not meaning any disrespect to Michelle I think that Michelle had to be there because of all the endorsements and for the PR. She was on Access Hollywood, The Today Show and she was on some Olympic show last night.

 

[soogar]

Well watching the opening ceremonies is so inspiring and it is such an honor to represent your country, I can't imagine not showing up unless I was competing the next day or I was sick. I know lots of athletes don't March, but I think it's kinda rude and disrespectful not to. Can you imagine the embarrassement if NONE of the athletes for a country celebrated and Marched because they wanted to stay calm and focus. I mean yeah it is about winning and getting the gold but it is also about representing your country - in all its aspects.

Well Michelle didn't go to the opening ceremonies when she went to Nagano (neither did Bobek). Give the ladies skaters a break. They skate in the last days of the games so I can see skipping opening ceremonies b/c they would want to get more training time at home. Plus the Olympic village is one big hornfest (per many athletes' accounts) so with all the partying and distractions, I can see wanting to get there as late as possible to concentrate on your event.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I totally agree Soogar, but back during the apres Nagano days there were pages and pages of how Michelle was wrong not to show up for the opening ceremonies. It was almost criminal.

It really is not earth shattering., and I'm with Sasha to plan her own strategy.

 

[Johar]

Was Tanith Belbin there?

 

[millie]

Yes Tanith was there. She was spotted as they were marching in.

 

[attyfan]

Before Nagano, Michelle had a stress fracture in her toe and was still receiving therapy. That didn't count with many people -- or with the media. Sasha didn't need medical treatment. So I do think there is a double standard. OTOH, considering the scrutiny Michelle has been getting, I don't blame Sasha for skipping it.

 

[Engwaciriel]

:sheesh: didn't michelle "skip out" in 98? A lot of the pairs skaters didn't go to the opening ceremonies because they compete...

Sasha went the first time around, give the girl a break... the opener this time around was not as inspiring IMHO[/QUOTE

Yes Michelle did skip the opening in 98' I think it's kinda rude and doesn't show much Olympic spirit or appreciation for representing your country no matter who does it. The top lady skaters in general were not there. No Irina, no Sasha, no Arakawa, no Miki, No Fumie, no Sokolova. In fact I think I only saw Michelle, Fleur Maxwell and Carolina Kosnter - and I think Kimmie was there although I didn't see her - did I miss any one? Not much Oly spirit from the ladies, either that or maybe are fighting nerves so bad they are trying to "forget how big the games really are." And I don't have to give any of them a break - I just don't like it when athletes don't go and don't have a good reason - other than nerves - all the athletes have that.

Just a thought, but there are over a week til the competitions starts..maybe they just haven't arrived yet..I know a lot of the swedish athletes who don't compete in the beginning of the competions aren't in Turin yet...not to mention all of the hockey players..

 

[soogar]

I didn't see the whole opening ceremonies but I did catch Irina's rosy face for Russia as well as a girl who looked like Sokolova.

I wished I watched the whole opening ceremony. I caught it on the tale end of those beautiful hot air globes with the renaissance faces on them and the acrobats in the air. I thought what I saw was very beautiful and artistic.

 

[Rgirl]

I didn't see the whole opening ceremonies but I did catch Irina's rosy face for Russia as well as a girl who looked like Sokolova.

I wished I watched the whole opening ceremony. I caught it on the tale end of those beautiful hot air globes with the renaissance faces on them and the acrobats in the air. I thought what I saw was very beautiful and artistic.

ITA about the beauty of the Opening Ceremony. I think it was more artistic than Olympic/Nationalistic, as most OCs have been, and perhaps more subdued, as compared to other OCs. I remember thinking during the closing fireworks, which were spectacular, that in the US they would never have fireworks without an enormous orchestra-band playing Sousa marches and other inspirational music--at least for the US. I guess Italy just has a different aesthetic.

As for Sasha, Michelle, and Kimmie, they each have their own body clocks, training schedules, and they're just plain different people. ITA with you, Vash, and others who don't mind if some athletes miss the OC. I'd go even further and say I couldn't care less whether they attend the OC or not. I mean, standing there for three or four hours? Wouldn't be my cup of tea. Plus, I was reminded of Sasha's back problems. Nothing worse for your back than standing in the cold for several hours. Besides, what was going to top sitting next to the president and getting him to talk to your mom on your cell phone?

As for '98--YAWN! Anybody who still has "issues" with what Michelle did or didn't do in '98 needs therapy, IMHO.

Rgirl

 

[euterpe]

Valentin Piseev, head of the Russian federation, said the skaters will all be arriving separately before their individual events. The ladies don't skate for almost ten days, so they haven't arrived yet. Irina was not there, nor should she have been. She is on prednisone, which leaves her more vulnerable to infection, and exposure to crowds would not be in her best interest.

I understand Emanuel Sandhu wasn't at the opening ceremony either because he is afraid of getting sick and wanted to avoid the crowds. Sasha has just recovered from the flu and may have had the same inclination.

 

[R.D.]

Now that Sasha has not made the Opening Olympic Parade, does that mean the NON Kwans will stop berating Michelle for not being at thel opening in Naganao?

Joe

you're assuming the non-Kwans are Sasha fans. I don't think it will stop.

 

[soogar]

Valentin Piseev, head of the Russian federation, said the skaters will all be arriving separately before their individual events. The ladies don't skate for almost ten days, so they haven't arrived yet. Irina was not there, nor should she have been. She is on prednisone, which leaves her more vulnerable to infection, and exposure to crowds would not be in her best interest.

I understand Emanuel Sandhu wasn't at the opening ceremony either because he is afraid of getting sick and wanted to avoid the crowds. Sasha has just recovered from the flu and may have had the same inclination.

Unless Russia has another rosy faced girl with puffy cheeks and short hair, Irina was there. Skating in general isn't for Irina's best interest but she's doing it anyway.

 

[R.D.]

That doesn't make sense, though. If Irina was there I'm sure the NBC announcers would have said something/mentioned her...

eta: she was mentioned, but I couldn't identify her in the crowd. Irina herself said she would arrive on the 18th.

 

[soogar]

That doesn't make sense, though. If Irina was there I'm sure the NBC announcers would have said something/mentioned her...

eta: she was mentioned, but I couldn't identify her in the crowd. Irina herself said she would arrive on the 18th.

It was during the final speeches when the athletes were cheering. Now I didn't see the athletes marching in but if the Russians were wearing brown jackets, then that athlete looked just like Irina: short, puffy cheeks, red cheeks, short hair that was touseled by the wind, same eyes and jaw. It was a clear shot though it was only for a second. I though I caught a girl near her that looked like Sokolova as well.

 

[Ptichka]

Here is a direct quote from the USOC site:

Women's world champion Irina Slutskaya of Russia plans to arrive in Turin on Feb. 18, three days before the women's event begins. She said during a conference call with reporters Thursday that she would train in Moscow or nearby Novogorsk as long as possible because ice time was available there.

"Here at home, I will be the queen of the practice," she said, laughing. "I can practice all I want. In Turin, I won't have all the stuff I need."

However, she wouldn't disclose details of her routines.

"I don't want to open my secrets," she said.

Slutskaya, who will be 27 Thursday, has taken medication for vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels, for several years. She also recently had the flu.

"I'm always getting sick. I'm not really healthy," she said. "But I can skate, and that is the important thing."

She also said she was happy to learn that her friend and rival, nine-time U.S. champion Michelle Kwan, would compete in Turin. Kwan, third behind Sarah Hughes and Slutskaya at Salt Lake City, missed the U.S. championships because of a groin pull but got a medical bye onto the Olympic team after proving her fitness to a panel of U.S. Figure Skating monitors.

"She's a great skater and a good person, and I'm hoping she will be on the podium," Slutskaya said. "She is a professional skater and will do everything the best she can do."

 

[Tonichelle]

that's weird because I'm pretty sure they said that she was there last night

as for it being rude, maybe maybe not... I don't think it's a huge slap in the face to anyone though


as for the US skaters who were there
Gregory & Petukhov, Silverstein & O'Meara, Belbin & Agosto, Hinzmann & Parchem, Inoue & Baldwin, Michelle, Evan, Johnny, Matt, and Kimmie

so Sasha was the only one MIA... no biggie, IMO

 

[R.D.]

in the long term, it may help her deal with the pressure. Besides, not much can top sitting next to the US president, anyway.

 

[Piel]

in the long term, it may help her deal with the pressure. Besides, not much can top sitting next to the US president, anyway.

Depends on the president, IMO. Let's see JFK or Bill Clinton vs. Richard Nixon or W who would I choose?

 

[Ptichka]

Depends on the president, IMO. Let's see JFK or Bill Clinton vs. Richard Nixon or W who would I choose?

My husband's cousin came to US from Germany on an exchange program. The program included meeting the president. She (jokingly) complained that when she applied for the program, the president was Clinton, but when she got in, it was actually W, so it felt like muct less of a reward. In the end, though, she didn't even get to meet W because those events were canceled due to post-9/11 security concens.

 

[bluecatskater]

Did Michelle march in the opening ceremonies at Salt Lake?
The NBC commentator made a comment like "Michelle could choose which
opening ceremony she liked best........Nagano, Salt Lake, or this one. I was thinking that I don't remember her at either of them. Maybe she saw the one in Lillehamer when she was an alternate in 94.
I liked seeing Rene in a lift over John's head when they were marching in. Great to see them even though they compete the next day!
Tanith was beaming!