Sasha Cohen is BACK baby!!!!

[dance2sk8]

And she looked amazing! One fall, but other than that, everything else looks amazing. Even better than when she competed in 2002! Made other skaters' heads turn. That's what I call awesome! Links below for the article and some photos of her practice session yesterday.

Cohen Is Back on Ice After a Long Absence (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/sports/olympics/21cohen.html)

Headline-grabbing Cohen takes the ice in Spokane (http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100120&content_id=7945138&vkey=ice_news)

Sasha Cohen Practices at Nationals (http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/galleryid=397491.html#sasha+cohen+practices+nation als)

I am glad she is back to compete one last time. Skating hasn't been the same since she left (and this includes Michelle Kwan). I know the younger skaters aren't too thrilled that she is back and grabbing a lot of attention, but you know what, they have many years ahead of them to be in the spotlight. This is Sasha's last chance to try and get Gold at Vancouver. I don't blame her for trying! So, my vote for Vancounver: Sasha Cohen and Alissa Czisny. I am kinda bummed that NOT ONE ARTICLE has been dedicated to Alissa since she IS our current reigning US Champion. Even practice session pictures included all of the major senior level ladies, and none of Alissa. But, I know she prefers to be in the shadows and not having the spotlight shine directly on her.

[Skittl1321]

Even practice session pictures included all of the major senior level ladies, and none of Alissa. But, I know she prefers to be in the shadows and not having the spotlight shine directly on her.

Sasha did look really good in practice. I caught it live, and was very excited. I have to admit, after the GP no-shows I didn't expect to see her.

I think Alissa has the best possible situations for a defending champion. Pretty much no one expects her to do it, so she has no pressure. The pressure of defending is horrible- look at what happened to poor Mirai (who now refers to the title as a "burden" in interviews.)

I'm really really excited about the competition- it's really anyones game, I think. I love so many of the US women, that I think the olympic team will be pretty fantastic no matter what.

[Schmeck]

Well, they tried to put a positive spin on her 'comeback', but if that was the last time she competes, what a disappointing way to end your career - maybe she should petition to go to 4CC?

[Bailey]

The outcome was not much of a surprise to me. The level of skating has increased significantly since she last competed. My heart did break for Alyssa though... she just looks like such a lovely girl and she wanted it so badly. I must admit, my heart also broke a little for Ashley watching her celebrate her performance and then learning that it was not enough. It was a hard night for many women...

[Skittl1321]

Well, they tried to put a positive spin on her 'comeback', but if that was the last time she competes, what a disappointing way to end your career - maybe she should petition to go to 4CC?

I don't think she could go to 4CCs. USFSA had to submit a list of skaters as entries and alternates weeks ago- and she (and I think Alissa and Ashley) were not on that list. I'm assuming that means they declined the event ahead of time. So USFSA could only pick their team from people on that list- which they made based on previous results. (Which is why the pairs are a bit of a ??? because there were some surprises in the ranks based on sectionals/early season, so they had to skip over some teams to get the 4CCs team)

[Schmeck]

I think the USFSA has got to be the worst organized organization I've ever had experience with! Can't they schedule their qualifying events to better fit the international events???

They screw up with synchro all the time - they have to have a junior world qualifier event at a non-qual to get the teams picked in time. Then they have Nationals over a month later, and for the two years my daughter participated, the teams that had qualified weren't the two teams that placed 1st and 2nd at Nationals. :frus:

Haven't they figured out that they need to move the events here to go with the rest of the world?

[Spider68]

Besides the groans at the arena and viewing audience, couldn't you just hear the groans from the executives at NBC when Sasha fell. No "star" power skater to draw in the ratings.....oh, well, we still have snow boarding and ther other X-game events to pull people in. :(