Will Tonya show up at Nationals?

[SkateFan4Life]

Since Nationals will be contested in Tonya Harding's back yard, so to speak, the possibility exists that she may be in attendance. Obviously, she's entitled to attend the competition, but if she does, I just hope it doesn't dissolve into a media circus, with the press asking her if she still wants to be reinstated by the USFSA, etc. :sheesh:

 

[Tonichelle]

If she does you KNOW she'll want media attention... she seems to thrive on it. not matter if it's positive or negative

I just hope security checks her for any sign of a baseball bat or hubcap... you never know how she'll act

seriously though, she should be allowed to attend. She was, at one time, an honest to goodness athlete... she just panicked at the thought of not being on the Olympic team/podium... greed got the best of her... and it's been all downhill from there... now if she happens to sit near me, I may have some issues LOL but nothing I can't handle (hey, I can always say I sat near a skater anyway)

 

[MasterB]

yes

God, I hope so. Maybe then ABC will broadcast Worlds. Hey! any attention is good attention at this point. Remeber what she did for ratings in the mid-90's?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Why not? Tonya is a human being who unfortunately was brought up on the wrong side of the tracks and was not taught proper lifestyles. She has a right to attend the competitions. I believe she will cause a lot of commotion from the media. The decision is hers.

Joe

 

[SkateFan4Life]

Why not? Tonya is a human being who unfortunately was brought up on the wrong side of the tracks and was not taught proper lifestyles. She has a right to attend the competitions. I believe she will cause a lot of commotion from the media. The decision is hers.

Joe

Absolutely. Tonya was the 1991 US Champion and World silver medalist, a member of the 2002 and the 2004 Olympic teams. And she remains the only American woman to land a triple axel in World competition. Yes, she was brought up on the wrong side of the tracks and despite years of training and exposure to the "right" side of the tracks (her coach and husband all but took her into their home during her training years) she still managed to align herself with low-lifes.

I would like to see Tonya at Nationals. Hopefully, she will handle any media attention with maturity and grace.

 

[equestrianguy]

I hate to say it but your right.. Something needs to boost figure skating ratings and capture viewers again.. At least Tonya did that for skating even though it was in a distasteful way..Maybe she shoud slide out on the ice in a black and yellow tutu..Oh wait, a guy did that at Worlds already last year..lol .....

 

[SkateFan4Life]

I hate to say it but your right.. Something needs to boost figure skating ratings and capture viewers again.. At least Tonya did that for skating even though it was in a distasteful way..Maybe she shoud slide out on the ice in a black and yellow tutu..Oh wait, a guy did that at Worlds already last year..lol .....

`

[B]Tonya needs to keep a low profile if she attends Nationals next month, and if anybody encourages her to make a spectacle of herself by jumping on the ice, giving interviews ("live" interviews - UGH) etc., she, hopefully, will have enough sense to NOT listen to those voices. [/B]

 

[SkateFan4Life]

And Tonya needs to stay off the ice, period. No exhibitions, "skating around", etc. Her presence is not welcomed by the USFSA. If she sits in the stands and keeps a low profile, she will be fine.

 

[souths]

No Ms. Harding will not be showing up at Nationals. I recently read that she is scheduled to do a boxing match at a bar in New Castle Delaware the night of the Ladies Free Skate. She is willing to fight challengers who weigh less than 125 lbs. Any takers???

 

[thisthingcalledlove]

No Ms. Harding will not be showing up at Nationals. I recently read that she is scheduled to do a boxing match at a bar in New Castle Delaware the night of the Ladies Free Skate. She is willing to fight challengers who weigh less than 125 lbs. Any takers???

Yep. In fact, she fired her manager because he wanted to take advantage of the nationals by scheduling a fight as nationals happened, and tonya said that was a low blow to the skaters.

She may not be everyone's favourite skater, but I wish people would just give her a break already.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

But the State may want her to accept an award on the ice as she is inducted into the Portland Hall of Fame for her athletic prowess.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

OT, but here's a challenge for all you HTML techies out there. Look at SkatefanForLife's post six posts up from this one (her first post). How did she get those B's in brackets to print like that, without the text appearing in bold? Hehe.

[color=red]Mathman[/color]

 

[Peter G]

I'd definitely talk to her if she were able to attend Nationals. I like people who try to break the mold of "how things should be". While she clearly has made some mistakes (who of us hasn't), it's so far past time where we should all move on!!!

I hope her life is going well. I read a book which talked about her upbringing and it's no surprise she ended up where she did. I hope she can find strength to move on and make the most out of her life.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

OT, but here's a challenge for all you HTML techies out there. Look at SkatefanForLife's post six posts up from this one (her first post). How did she get those B's in brackets to print like that, without the text appearing in bold? Hehe[color=red]Mathman[/color]

I think when SFFL wanted to edit her text she inadvertently clicked on Quote instead of Edit. I do that often enough.

Joe

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I'd definitely talk to her if she were able to attend Nationals. I like people who try to break the mold of "how things should be". While she clearly has made some mistakes (who of us hasn't), it's so far past time where we should all move on!!!

I hope her life is going well. I read a book which talked about her upbringing and it's no surprise she ended up where she did. I hope she can find strength to move on and make the most out of her life.

ITA Peter G - Tonya was part of a bad bad thing. She was punished severely. Let' all move on.

Joe

 

[SkateFan4Life]

I think when SFFL wanted to edit her text she inadvertently clicked on Quote instead of Edit. I do that often enough.

Joe

Actually, I'm not sure what I did to get the subject in bold. I don't think that I clicked on "Quote", but I won't bet the ranch on that. It looks good, though, doesn't it?

 

[Hikaru]

Absolutely. Tonya was the 1991 US Champion and World silver medalist, a member of the 2002 and the 2004 Olympic teams. And she remains the only American woman to land a triple axel in World competition. Yes, she was brought up on the wrong side of the tracks and despite years of training and exposure to the "right" side of the tracks (her coach and husband all but took her into their home during her training years) she still managed to align herself with low-lifes.

ITA with you. Tonya got her life screwed, being banned from doing the only thing she was good at; something they should apply also to cheating judges, instead of giving them a few years suspension. If you look back, it was her incident with Nancy that put the sport in the map (heck, it was because of that that I heard about figure skating in the news here in Panama, got to wathc the '94 olympics, and became a fan of the sport). Also, IMO, it was that incident that made the media look for any possible rivalry on the rink, to make more drama (i.e., the Michelle/Tara, Michelle/Irina, Michelle/Sasha, Yagudin/Plushenko, etc.). Should she be there? I dunno, but if she is, she is definitely going to get attention.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

ITA with you. Tonya got her life screwed, being banned from doing the only thing she was good at; something they should apply also to cheating judges, instead of giving them a few years suspension. If you look back, it was her incident with Nancy that put the sport in the map (heck, it was because of that that I heard about figure skating in the news here in Panama, got to wathc the '94 olympics, and became a fan of the sport). Also, IMO, it was that incident that made the media look for any possible rivalry on the rink, to make more drama (i.e., the Michelle/Tara, Michelle/Irina, Michelle/Sasha, Yagudin/Plushenko, etc.). Should she be there? I dunno, but if she is, she is definitely going to get attention.

I agree with you that the Nancy Kerrigan attack threw the sport of figure skating into national and world attention as it had never been before, and probably never will be again.

However, there have been wonderful skating rivalries for many years preceding the Kerrigan/Harding saga.....to name just a few:

The Battle of the Brians - Brian Boitano/Brian Orser
The Artist vs the Athlete - Rosalyn Sumners/Elaine Zayak
The Artist vs the Athlete - Tenley Albright/Carol Heiss

other rivalries -- Linda Fratianne/Annet Poetszch
Kurt Browning/Victor Petrenko
Karen Magnussen/Janet Lynn

 

[hydroradi]

say what you will about her personal life

but she was one hell of a skater on the ice.

Someone at FSU posted her long program from '91 skate america.

http://s9.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0VFYDVSO39RGF2JFU0IP1HEKHF

 

[Doggygirl]

Thanks for sharing that link...

It was like a walk down memory lane to watch that performance. She truly was a talented athlete. It is so sad that Tanya chose the paths she did in life.

DG