Posted on 02/12/2006 12:35:38 AM PST by blondee123
It was just announced (2:30 a.m. central time) on NBC TV that Michelle Kwan has officially withdrawn from olympic competition. Said that the U.S. team has filed a replacement form with the Olympic committee.
I am glad to rid of Kwan and alow Emily to skate. That would be awesome to have two sisters win the gold. What an American Dream. Michelle is yesterday. She should have retired a long time ago.
Moreover, I detect racism in your post. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Um, no. If Kerrigan hadn't been attacked by the Gang That Couldn't Club Straight, she would've won nationals and Kwan wouldn't have even made it onto the podium at nationals. And, contrary to popular belief, in skating the only one who earns a spot for the olympics is the US national champion. The rest are selected by committee.
I went back and read all the posts. You sound like a nut. Why should they correct what your twisted mind conjures up?
No offense, but if you believe that, you must not follow skating. Even at 100%, Kwan would not have been a contender for gold. It's Cohen, the US national champ, who has the best chance. And Kimmie Meissner, who can do a triple axel, has an outside chance.
I work at a university library, and a few years ago we receieved several posters featuring pictures of celebrities holding books, with a message of encouragement for people to read. These posters were all displayed in our lobby. But when it came time to take them down (to make way for a new display) I confiscated the poster featuring Michelle Kwan for my department. It still proudly hangs here today, and always will as long as I have any say in the matter!
Michelle is indeed a class act, and a total babe!
bump
And we care........why?
Agree completely. Much as I feel sorry for Michelle, she let her ego dictate her behavior and screwed Emily in the process. You have to know when to hang it up and she's realized it about 3 weeks too late.
I disagree. As much as I liked Michelle, I really think, all around, Sasha Cohen is a better skater. I believe she'll medal. Not sure if it'll be gold, since she has the tendency to clutch when the going gets tough, but I think she's a much more exciting and beautiful skater.
She did such tremendous damage to her hips with her insane overtraining when she was young that she had several surgeries and can no longer skate. She's been trying to break into acting for quite a few years now and had a small recurring role on Seventh Heaven.
Michelle Kwan attended the 1994 Olympics as a last minute replacement for Tonya Harding in case the officials disallowed her to skate. She was allowed with all her broken lace theatrics...starting twice.... and crying for everyone to see. I remember that little kid - who just barely qualified for the "grown up Olympics" sitting in the stands mouth agape - feeling the Olympic spirit...hearing that her father "coached" her.... Michelle Kwan.
This morning she still had that spirit - knowing her country would not be served well by her skating. It is still the flame of patriotism which burns in many of our athletes.
She won a world's title five times, a U.S. title nine times and two Olympic medals, gold and bronze, never having won the gold.
Her family weren't wealthy and she made many sacrifices staying an amateur and going to University rather than capitalizing on the "gold" as so many of the female skaters have done: Yamaguchi, Kerrigan, Lipinski, even Hughes who has stopped skating for now. They took the medal and became professionals immediately. Kwan opted to preserve the amateur status...while still able to make money, she never parlayed her status into the really big financial gains...as she will now be able to do.
I hope to see her heal and skate again, as a professional...
she brought so much to the sport... when you see little Sasha Cohen doing her huge leg extensions.... it was Kwan who introduced most of them and variations on them into the routines for competition....borrowed from an earlier skater in the 50s.
Strangely enough one of her competitors - Slutskaya - has also remained amateur although it is different in Russia no doubt - but I think she will miss Kwan - as they became good friends over the many years they competed with each other.
Kwan has done so much for the U.S. figure skating....even to the point of leaving the team for the good of the U.S.
It is an unusual trait these days among athletes.
####And we care........why?####
You tell me. You're the one who managed to post a response to my rather uncontroversial post within two minutes. That would tend to indicate that you care a great deal.
I find Cohen more exciting to watch as well. Her positions are amazing. No one can touch Kwan on basic skating, though. You can't even hear her blades on the ice.
Thank you! I can't believe you're just the second one on this thread up to this point that has even mentioned her name. I think she's by far the most graceful and interesting skater we have. NOT the most consistent, and does have the problem of not being able to skate clean programs many times, but boy she sure did herself proud at Nationals.
Sasha Cohen can get a gold for us!
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