Will Sasha finally win nationals?

[Fossi]

Soogar, your post made me
Sasha was much older when she entered the Senior Scene and she had more hype than any skater since Lipinski. Gushing or not, you see it hasn't done any favors for Cohen. From what TT hinted to, and Robin said outright, Sasha isn't willing to work very hard herself. She believes she is the best and that she can beat anyone if only she'd skate clean. If anyone tells her otherwise, they are out of a job.

 

[mpal2]

Soogar,

I'm not sure I follow all of your reasoning. Michelle was getting as much, if not more attention as Sasha.


Sasha may be more gifted as far as flexibility and line goes, but there is a lot more to skating than flexibility and line. And I would say that Kwan has the better gift in other areas. But I don't know if I could say that Sasha is more gifted than Michelle. They are both great skaters. They have different strengths and weaknesses.

I don't keep track of who has posted what, but are you getting this idea from Button, Fleming and Gannon team? I've heard far too many comments from them about Sasha being the most gifted and I just can't agree for the reason stated above.

 

[Jaana]

I think it is of no importance whether Sasha wins the next Nationals or not. In my opinion much more important is the fact that she has now been the best US ladies skater in Worlds twice, as she won those silver medals.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

OMG. Not as much natural talent? Talent is nothing. Bottom line: Kwan's got the nerves, the experience and the mentality to deal with competing and can put it together when it counts. Cohen does not.

I think the writer was speaking of Irina not Kwan. Irina does not have natural line as Sasha does.

Sasha skated quite competently in Moscow, and she is a morning skater so her qualis are always good. Sasha's SPs are also very good. She hesitated and held back in Dortmund during the LP and threw that competition away. She did not do that in Moscow but, unfortunately, the less natural skater won the gold.

I think Sasha has gotten over the LP jitters. JMO.

As for Kwan. She and very few other skaters have body language. MK can do a three turn with beautiful arms and move across the ice to the whole arena. I noticed Sasha is working on that but she still seems to be playing up to the judges rather than the whole arena - not unlike Witt. Once Sasha gets the feel of the audience rather than the judges, she will skate rings around Irina. Just my take on the two as performers.

Joe

 

[Mk4Eva]

I agree, although I think she'll stay in for the 2007 season for one last chance at Nationals & Worlds before retiring.

I see Sasha staying until 2010! Lets hope she does and gets over this thing that's holding her back from those perfection performances!!

 

[Mathman]

I think it is of no importance whether Sasha wins the next Nationals or not. In my opinion much more important is the fact that she has now been the best US ladies skater in Worlds twice, as she won those silver medals.

I wonder what Sasha's opinion is about that.

MM

 

[chuckm]

I don't see Sasha staying around until 2010. Mao Asada will arrive on the Senior scene in the fall of 2006, and she is already racking up high PCS scores as well as being a rock-hard consistent jumper. Sasha doesn't really enjoy competing, anyway---winning is her thing. So why would Sasha want to hang around to collect another string of silver medals?

 

[mzheng]

I don't see Sasha staying around until 2010. Mao Asada will arrive on the Senior scene in the fall of 2006, and she is already racking up high PCS scores as well as being a rock-hard consistent jumper. Sasha doesn't really enjoy competing, anyway---winning is her thing. So why would Sasha want to hang around to collect another string of silver medals?

But at least the string of world silver medals will put her in number one US international scene.

I agree with what someone above said. As far as body flexible and line gose Sasha has more natural talent than Michelle. But skating is not just flexible and line, there are a lot other things. One dosn't win a National title and World title at age 15 without Natural talent. For one thing Kwan is really a quick learner, her learning ability on ice is exceptional this is according to her coach who had worked with Sasha as well.

To me 'talented' means something inteligent thingy you born with; while 'gifted' means something physically you born with. So I'd call Sasha more gifted with body lines and flexible, Michelle is more talented on other abilities.

 

[chuckm]

Sasha has flexibility, good body line, great spins. But her edging is shallow, which is why she bobbled the spiral in the SP at 2005 Worlds, her jumps are often not secure, and her performances lack warmth. Kwan has superb edging and secure jumps, and she has that exceptional ability to communicate with audiences and judges when she skates from the heart, but her spins have always been below her other skills, and she has limited flexibility.

Each skater has good points and weak points, but I wouldn't agree that one is more naturally talented than the other.

One edge Kwan has over Cohen is that she is by far the better competitor. When Kwan is comfortable with a program, she can sell the heck out of it because she is centered on performing rather than on the mechanics of skating. Cohen's competition nerves leave her focused on move, move, move, not on performing.

 

[Mathman]

Jaana raised an interesting point. It is entirely possible that Sasha will win a World championship or even an Olympic gold medal without ever winning her own national championship.

Alexei Yagudin, IIRC, never won Russian nationals. But he has four world golds and an Olympic championship to ease the pain, LOL.

"A prophet is without honor in his own country," as the saying goes. Is there anyone else who was world or Olympic champion but never a national champ?

Mathman

 

[attyfan]

Sarah Hughes has an OGM, but neither a Nat title nor a World title.

 

[Mathman]

Gosh, how could I have forgotten that?

MM

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I don't see Sasha staying around until 2010. Mao Asada will arrive on the Senior scene in the fall of 2006, and she is already racking up high PCS scores as well as being a rock-hard consistent jumper. Sasha doesn't really enjoy competing, anyway---winning is her thing. So why would Sasha want to hang around to collect another string of silver medals?

If Mao Asada lives up to the forum hype, I can see an exit of a number of skaters from eligibility. I can't wait to see this gal. At least Kimmie is concentrating on her.

BTW, Body Line and Body Language are two diffent things. Body line can be taught in ballet class if it is not genetic. Body language is a musical thing that goes beyond timing, It's an awareness of one's surroundings, among other things. Not unlike a dance with that certain someone at the Prom.

Joe