OT: Olympics ~~ Queen Kwan Quits

[Cat-Lady]

Michelle, Kwan, the reigning Queen of Figure Skating, has withdrawn from competition due to an new groin injury unrelated to her previous one. She also announced that she would now return to the US so as not to be a distraction to the other ice skaters. The End of An Era ........ I hope that she becomes a Coach and opens her own Ice Rink and Skating School. Who among the very young skaters out there, would NOT want to be coached by her !! This also opens the door for our other female ice skaters to establish themselves no longer under Michelle's shadow. This is turning out to be a Very Exciting Olympics for the US, and it's only just begun .......

[hellokitty]

Oh, this is sad. I really enjoyed Michelle's skating, and was looking forward to seeing her in the Olympics, being that I haven't seen her in awhile. I hope all is well with her and I do hope she puts that wonderful talent of hers to good use.

[McQvc]

Darn -- no Gold for the Queen! Did Michelle say if she'll be in the next Winter Games??

[Hershey]

The Associated Press has reported that NBC is disappointed that Kwan quit because it will hurt ratings. NBC offered her a job as a commentator on the Olympics as soon as she quit, but she turned it down.

[Geeitsme]

I may be the only one to feel this way and may be going out on a limb, but I don't really care for her. I think it was because of how she acted at the games with Tara Lipinski....I will be glad to see the new Cohen sister get her chance to get some experience.

Gee

[Unregistered]

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Geeitsme:
I may be the only one to feel this way and may be going out on a limb, but I don't really care for her. I think it was because of how she acted at the games with Tara Lipinski....I will be glad to see the new Cohen sister get her chance to get some experience.

Gee
www.tvtalkshows.com/board/showpost.php?p=1434603
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You're not the only one, Gee, who feels this way. It bothered me that they bent the rules to include her even though there was a great possibility that she wouldn't be up to skating. I think it's time for someone else to step up after three Olympics for MK.

[Hershey]

Gee & Unregistered - you might be interested in the following article (link is included at the end):

Wrong righted?
USFSA shouldn't have granted Kwan's petition
Did Michelle Kwan's lucrative endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and Visa factor into the USFSA granting her petition?

TURIN, Italy -- Michelle Kwan's 12-year Olympic odyssey ended early Sunday morning, about 2:15 a.m. Turin time, when the USOC's Dr. Jim Moeller determined she had re-injured her right groin during her first practice in Italy, less than twelve hours after she had marched in Opening Ceremonies. Within minutes Kwan made the difficult decision to take herself off the team. The five-time world champion and nine-time U.S. champion will be replaced by 17-year-old Emily Hughes, who was eating a Sarah Gold sushi roll at a Japanese restaurant when she got the news from USFSA executive director David Raith. Grounded by the blizzard that has blanketed the East Coast, it's unclear when Hughes will be able to get to Turin, though she promises it will be before the ladies competition begins nine days from now, on Feb. 21.

The development is a sad ending to the 25-year-old Kwan's otherwise brilliant career. The one medal she'd never won was Olympic gold, having captured silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002. (In 1994 she was in Lillehammer as an alternate, waiting to see if the USOC would be successful in removing Tonya Harding from the Olympic team.)

She's been gracious both in victory and defeat. She's been a great role model to younger skaters and an inspiration to her countless fans.

Still, the question remains: Should Kwan's petition for an Olympic spot have been granted by the USFSA in the first place after she'd missed the entire Grand Prix season in the fall with a hip injury and the U.S. Nationals in January with the groin injury?

Clearly not. Strained groins -- right hip adductor was the exact term used by Dr. Moeller -- are notoriously slow to heal and easily re-injured, which is exactly what happened to Kwan when she attempted a triple flip 15 minutes into her first Turin practice.

While the late addition of Hughes -- who finished third at Nationals but was bumped to make room for Kwan -- might be viewed as a wrong righted, it is still a wrong and reflects badly on the USFSA and its petition process. Hughes has been given short shrift in what should have been the experience of a lifetime, missing the thrill of marching in Opening Ceremonies, of being able to spend the entire three weeks in the Olympic Village, of having the free time to see other Olympic events. Now she has to contend with hurried travel plans and a late adjustment to jet lag. Skaters do best when they're calm and relaxed, and whatever Hughes' Olympic experience might prove to be, it definitely won't be one that's relaxed.

In granting Kwan's petition the USFSA forgot its most fundamental charge: To promote fair competition and to treat all its athletes equally. Only when that is done should it, or any organization, worry about bringing home Olympic medals for the good ol' USA -- which was its justification for adding Kwan over the inexperienced Hughes. What can only be guessed at is to what degree USFSA officials were influenced by the ratings boost Kwan's appearance would have given NBC's Olympic coverage. Or to what degree Kwan's lucrative endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and Visa played into their thinking.

By withdrawing early -- as she'd promised to do when Kwan was originally granted her petition -- Kwan made the best of a bad situation. As usual, she handled herself with class. "I respect the Olympics too much to compete when I'm not at my best," she said.

But the fact is Kwan shouldn't have been here at all.

SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMsportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/olympics/2006/writers/02/12/kwan/index.html

[pebbles]

I also am not a Kwan fan. I heard the commentators say even before she left that she didn't have much chance at a gold medal because her skating isn't as exciting as the Russians. Kwan got a chance as an alternate. Now it's someone else's turn. It's time to move on.

[Novalee]

I was feeling like such a meanie because I had said these exact same things to my husband last night. Now I don't feel so bad.

[AussieMrs]

Well, I guess I'm in the minority. I think she was gracious and handled herself very well. I thought it was fitting that she got to go this year; in 1994, I believe MK was bumped because the committee let an injured Nancy Kerrigan go to the 1994 Olympics. I, apparently for one, enjoyed watching her skate. Perhaps she'll move on to be a coach. That would be great for young skaters, as I think she's a great role model.

[Novalee]

Missy, I don't think you're in the minority at all. And I don't think what happened to her regarding the Nancy Kerrigan thing was fair, either. I feel that, as with the NFL refs, the decisions should be consistent and fair across the board. It sure doesn't seem to be that way right now.

[Barbi]

I like Michelle Kwan and admire her skating--but I don't think the fact that she bumped someone to get on the Olympic team was fair. Those competitors earned their places and Michelle did not compete--in any other sport, if you're injured, you sit out the game, end of story. I'm sorry that after all the commotion and hurt feelings that she couldn't participate in the Olympics--but injuries are part of any sport competition. The fact that this was probably her last shot at an Olympic gold medal shouldn't have been factored into the equation--lots of people participate in the Olympics and do not come home with a gold, and Kwan is no different.

[McQvc]

I'm personally routing for Sasha Cohen to be the new "Queen of the Winter Games"

[pandagirl]

Missy, as Novalee says, you're not alone. I think those of us expressing the opposite opinion thought we were!

(I posted previously as Girlguest, but decided to register.)

[bookchick]

hi, pandagirl, and welcome!

bookchick

[pandagirl]

Thanks for the welcome, bookchick! I'm glad to be here.

[AussieMrs]

Hey, pandagirl, hi! Cute avatar. Welcome!

[pandagirl]

Thanks, AussieMrs, for the welcome!

[hellokitty]

I'll admit that I haven't kept up w/all the news regarding Kwan and being allowed to skate/not being allowed to skate. All I know is that when she is on the ice, she is good. She looks graceful and it's so relaxing to watch her...unlike with other skaters, I feel like I'm on thin ice!

[Rebel_Mom]

I didn't think it was right to give Michelle a place on the team this time, but you have to understand the logic behind the decision. The US Figure Skating Association is all about medals. Simply put, in their minds, Michelle was our best hope for a medal - of any color - in figure skating this time out. As a fan, I have to say there have basically been 3 female skaters consistantly at the top: Michelle, Irina Slutskaya and Sasha Cohen - everyone else is several steps below. The only real challenge to this trio is the Japanese women and they are not consistant. For the US, now it all falls to Sasha. I hope she holds up under the pressure.

[Novalee]

Pandagirl, welcome! :)

[LA-CAgirl3]

Hi Novalee ~ I'm waving at you! Gini

[pandagirl]

Many thanks for the welcome, Novalee!