Michelle Kwan withdrew from US Nationals

[Joan]

From the USFSA.org web page:
"Michelle Kwan Withdraws From 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships Due to Injury; Will Petition For Spot On U.S. Olympic Team"

[doubletoe]

I would have been more surprised if this DIDN'T happen.

[Debbie S]

As a Nats ticketholder, I'm ready to :cry: . Oh well, it's a good thing there are plenty of other skaters I want to see.

I did have the chance to see Michelle compete (and win) at '01 Nats, '02 Nats, and '03 Worlds. I thought I was a good luck charm - lol. Now I really wish I'd gone to Atlanta or Portland.

[techskater]

IF she makes the O's after petitioning, you'd better start researching your trip to Torino! ;)

[doubletoe]

Yep, they have the option of putting her on the team, since she placed 4th at Worlds last year.

[Terri C]

At the rate she has been skating, it will be a Miracle of God if MK is on the O'team. Hate to dissapoint those of you that are MK fans, but there is too much depth in the USFS Ladies Singles group to consider her being on the team, given her injuries this season.

[jazzpants]

Ummm... not to start anything, but... isn't this thread more appropriate on the General Skating Chat???

[daisies]

At the rate she has been skating, it will be a Miracle of God if MK is on the O'team. Hate to dissapoint those of you that are MK fans, but there is too much depth in the USFS Ladies Singles group to consider her being on the team, given her injuries this season.
I disagree. I don't really see the depth in the U.S. ladies. Didn't only two of them earn medals in the GP series? Alissa and Sasha. Only one made the GP final -- and placed last ... this without the presence of Michelle, Sasha, Shizuka, etc. and against arguably only one Olympic medal contender, Irina.

Which was the competition where there were, like, no Olympic medal contenders and we had Alissa, Bebe and Emily competing? Was it Skate America? Only Alissa medaled. That doesn't look like depth to me. There's Sasha, there's Alissa ... and there's a third spot that no one has proven, in competitions up until now, should be theirs.

If Michelle's left off the team, I think it would be a slap in
the face to what she's accomplished and what's she's done for U.S. figure skating.

[Terri C]

If Michelle's left off the team, I think it would be a slap in
the face to what she's accomplished and what's she's done for U.S. figure skating.

IMHO, that would be USFS thinking $$$$$- she is their biggest marketing tool. But last time I checked, the Olympics are supposed to be the best athletes and with Michelle injured all season, I don't see how she could heal up and skate competitively in Torino.

[NoVa Sk8r]

I disagree. I don't really see the depth in the U.S. ladies. Didn't only two of them earn medals in the GP series? Alissa and Sasha. Only one made the GP final -- and placed last ... this without the presence of Michelle, Sasha, Shizuka, etc. and against arguably only one Olympic medal contender, Irina.

Which was the competition where there were, like, no Olympic medal contenders and we had Alissa, Bebe and Emily competing? Was it Skate America? Only Alissa medaled. That doesn't look like depth to me. There's Sasha, there's Alissa ... and there's a third spot that no one has proven, in competitions up until now, should be theirs.

If Michelle's left off the team, I think it would be a slap in the face to what she's accomplished and what's she's done for U.S. figure skating.I agree with you. Michelle (along with Sasha--Jenny Kirk came in, what, 17th at Worlds?) helped the U.S. get 3 Olympic spots.

And speaking of not skating to one's potential, just where is Emily's *double* axel these days?

The only U.S. lady who has proven herself internationally (barring an injured Sasha) is Alissa. And her LP at the GPF was nothing to write home about (my hip *still* hurts just thinking about that fall on her 3lutz).

What I'm guessing is that the USFSA will provisionally name Kwan to the team and if Kwan feels liek she can't skate at the Olympics, she will relinquish her spot to the alternate. I don't thin kthat MK wants to skate poorly at (arguably) her last amateur event.

Specifically (from Judy's post (http://www.asianathlete.com/DaScoopsFormDisplay.aspx?ID=2681) and (ETA) this new USFS post (http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=32503)):
The International Committee meets January 13 and January 14 in St. Louis, at the arena after each event is finished, to choose the Olympic team members. They will have until January 30th to submit the athletes' names. "It'll be a very interesting meeting on the 14th," predicted Raith. The International Committee consists of 36 coaches, athletes, judges, and boardmembers. They each have one vote apiece and the decisions will be made based on a simple majority vote.

"They will not leave the room until they come out with a majority. [The vote will] take place right after the ladies event in the arena. Someone could be replaced between the 16th and the 30th when the USOC has to submit the final official names," Raith explained. "Their charge is to select the best team possible."

As Kwan says: "It is sort of ironic that the last person bumped off the team was me in '94 ... but I want to petition because I feel that I will be 100% when the Olympics come around. ... The selection process is not up to me. I have no control in who they select. As for me, I have to do my best. I feel my groin is feeling well, and I can start jumping [soon]. ... I'm my own worst critic. If I don't feel 100 percent, I'll pull myself off the team."
I think she (a 9-time National Champ and 5-time World Champ) deserves the benefit of the doubt.

And on a semi-unrelated note, here's what Kwan said about her fans with respect to her fellow competitors:
"I hope they will cheer loud for all the skaters."

Nice bit of class.

[doubletoe]

Just because they can doesn't mean they should.

Didn't say they should. ;)

And actually, Jazzpants has a point. We should probably move this discussion to out of the "on the ice" section. . .

[stardust skies]

If she isn't physically able to go to Nationals due to an injury that has been around for MONTHS, and considering how she did last time she did skate...she will never be ready for the Olympics. How does she expect to magically get better in such a short amount of time when all these months off haven't gotten her healthy? I understand that she wants to go, but if she isn't well enough for Nats, there's a very good chance she won't be ready for the OLYS, either. I think people need to realize their own limitations. If you're injured, then you're injured. It SUCKS, but that's how it is.

PS: Michelle hasn't said anything about retiring after this year. I wouldn't assume this quite yet.

[Debbie S]

If she isn't physically able to go to Nationals due to an injury that has been around for MONTHS, This is not an injury that has been around for months. It's a groin injury that occurred on Dec 17. The hip injury that happened in October has supposedly healed, and Michelle's doctor is quoted in the article as saying that the 2 injuries are not related.

[Joan]

Part of the medical petition process is for her to be checked out by USOC physicians to see if she is, in fact, healthy enough to compete. So if she is not looking recovered by Jan. 30, or whatever the selection deadline is, she won't be selected. If she is back to health and skating well, I think she will be selected. One of my biggest worries, besides the injuries she has had this season, is the fact that her programs have had little or no exposure to the new judging system this season. She is lacking the feedback that the other skaters have been able to get from judges.

[stardust skies]

This is not an injury that has been around for months. It's a groin injury that occurred on Dec 17. The hip injury that happened in October has supposedly healed, and Michelle's doctor is quoted in the article as saying that the 2 injuries are not related.

Well, the key word here is supposedly. I'm not calling anyone a liar, but Michelle's never been injured in her life, and suddenly she's got two major injuries that keep her from training. I'm not saying this is the case, but TO ME it sounds like a bunch of excuses. A lot like Timmy's "anatomical" changes a couple years ago and his whole boot issue (which was also backed up by the same doctor). It could very well be true, but as for me personally, I think she realizes with the way she skated at the only event this season, that there's a big chance she wouldn't make top three (with Csizny, Meissner and Cohen, as well as others who have a smaller shot at the team) so she pulled out hoping that petitioning was a better chance than skating. I believe she did have ONE injury...the one from the summer, and that's why she isn't sure about her skating for Nationals. Last we saw she barely had any triples back. But I don't really believe in this new injury, although it's really not my place to call. I am just giving my opinion on it.

But regardless of whether she's being truthful or not, I personally have always believed that you should either be present at the event that qualifies for the Olympics, or you can't go. Because it's all about that ONE night, and how you skate in that one night, not three weeks later. And while Michelle has most definitely always proved herself to be an amazing competitor...IF because of the lack of opportunity to train this summer, she dropped down to 8th or 9th at Nats, then she shouldn't get to go, and I don't think it's fair to give her more time to prepare when others don't have it, even though Michelle's not the only one who's dealt with injuries this year. I know those are the rules though so you can't contest that, I've just never really agreed with it. Which again doesn't matter much, but I'm giving my opinion anyways for the sake of discussion. But to me the bottom line is : everyone gets injuries. You can't place one person's injuries on a higher priority list than others, so unless everyone gets to schedule their Olympic test for when they are at their healthiest, then everyone should have to do it at the same time. Everyone's at varying degrees of injury and recovery at Nationals, that's nothing new. You do the best you can. Otherwise everyone would petition for a later date test.

Again I know Michelle's proved herself and that it should make a difference, but this isn't a Lifetime Achievement award, it's the Olympics, and as both Tara and Sarah have proven in the past, it has nothing to do with experience, it's just about how you skate in that one moment.

[NoVa Sk8r]

Well, the key word here is supposedly. I'm not calling anyone a liar, but Michelle's never been injured in her lifeHuh? She had a stress fracture in her left toe prior to 1998 Nats and had a cast on her foot. (But perhaps you mean she hasn't ever suffered a major muscle strain/ligament injury?)

[daisies]

Well, the key word here is supposedly. I'm not calling anyone a liar, but Michelle's never been injured in her life, and suddenly she's got two major injuries that keep her from training.
As Nova stated above, she has been injured before, with the stress fracture being one high-profile example.

Last we saw she barely had any triples back.
What we saw was her pop a jump and two-foot another. People who aren't injured do the same thing. If she attempted the rotation and was a half or quarter turn off, then I'd be worried. The 3z was fully rotated, and the other jumps were simply popped. Big difference. A healthy Angela N. popped all the time, but it didn't mean she didn't have the jumps.

I personally have always believed that you should either be present at the event that qualifies for the Olympics, or you can't go.
Do you also disagree with the decision to send Nancy to the 1994 games over Michelle?

Everyone's at varying degrees of injury and recovery at Nationals, that's nothing new. You do the best you can. Otherwise everyone would petition for a later date test.
That is true, but everyone doesn't petition because most have a slim-to-none chance of getting the bye. Remember Nicole?

As both Tara and Sarah have proven in the past, it has nothing to do with experience, it's just about how you skate in that one moment.
You could argue that in Tara's case it wasn't about the skating either. ;)

[stardust skies]

Huh? She had a stress fracture in her left toe prior to 1998 Nats and had a cast on her foot. (But perhaps you mean she hasn't ever suffered a major muscle strain/ligament injury?)

Yeah...I thought about the toe fracture after I posted and thought "well okay, there is ONE", I just don't consider it a MAJOR injury..I mean what she did this summer was a major injury IMHO, compared to a toe fracture (although obviously both are dehabilitating). The new injury (or two, if they are both in fact real) might come from the way Rafael trains his students to just jump jump jump. I've seen him teach before and I was a little shocked at how many jumps he is making every one do in a row. It's just asking for injuries. When I saw the header of this thread it's the first thing I thought of.

[stardust skies]

What we saw was her pop a jump and two-foot another.

Do you also disagree with the decision to send Nancy to the 1994 games over Michelle?

That is true, but everyone doesn't petition because most have a slim-to-none chance of getting the bye. Remember Nicole?

You could argue that in Tara's case it wasn't about the skating either. ;)

Well, yes it's true about the triples, but she didn't really attempt many others, so it's not like it was a 7 triple program and she just popped one and two footed one. In all fairness everyone watered down their programs, but if you compare the jump elements of Sasha's programs and then look at Michelle's, you'll see that Michelle is way behind, which doesn't bode well considering that Michelle's consistency on jumps is her biggest asset IMO.

Yes, I also disagree with the decision to send Nancy over Michelle. It's not my place to disagree, but as an onlooker and participant of this sport, I disagree. I think you should have clear and cut rules as to who qualifies and how. This means that if the U.S. wants prior history to count in the selection, they should say it straight out, much like the criteria they use for selecting team envelopes. The ambiguity of the selection process irks me, and I don't think someone should get special treatment just because they are injured, even if they are clearly the best. I know a lot of people disagree with me though, and that's why the rules are what they are. :) I love Michelle but I really don't think she has a very big chance at the top 3 regardless though, so I don't think it makes a big difference. In fact, aside for Cohen (and I'm not even really a Cohen fan) I don't think the U.S. ladies are going to make much of a difference in the Olympic podium this time around, but that all remains to be seen.

PS: I am not sure what you meant with Tara? I thought she skated well. I think she would've lost had she not done the 3loop/3loop but she did, so in my eyes that deserved the win over Michelle. I don't think Sarah should've won though, but Michelle fell so what were they gonna do. :(

[daisies]

Well, yes it's true about the triples, but she didn't really attempt many others, so it's not like it was a 7 triple program and she just popped one and two footed one.
It wasn't a seven-triple program because it was her short program!


PS: I am not sure what you meant with Tara? I thought she skated well.
I meant her actual skating sucked. Sure, she could jump. Skating? Edging? No.