Michelle Kwan withdraws from Olympics

[Butthead]

Major cuttie, American Michelle Kwan's amateur career comes to an end.

I'm so depressed, they just annouced it on NBC news late night Olympics update.

5:30AM EST Sunday morning- less than 5hrs from now, she will have give news conference explaining her reasons for withdrawing.

NBC was reporting, she fell on a practice triple jump, her groin injury got progressively sorer after that, and on consultation with physicians about the injury, she apparently decided to withdraw from the Olympics.

And so ends the saga of America's Sweetheart's decade long run as the best female skater of style, grace, power/technique combined. End of an era, we now have more technical skaters like Sasha Cohen who can contort her body like a pretzel, and others who do multiple jumps of triple triple combinations, and in practice the quad. But this kind of extreme technical 'top-spinners' results in more and more injuries and hastened ends to careers. That's what happens to many of the male skaters who go for endless quad jumps as the means to get the most points in technical merit. Sad, artist component no longer amounts to much these days.

Earlier reports today:
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/torino2006/news?slug=ap-fig-kwanworkout&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/to...g/news?slug=dw-kwan021106&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[Deepdale]

And so ends the saga of America's Sweetheart's decade long run as the best female skater of style, grace, power/technique combined.

Michelle has been a wonderful competitor and always represented her country in a positive way, without becoming embroiled in controversies that often leave even gifted athletes with reputations that are difficult to restore. However, given her recent struggle with various injuries, I had a feeling that including her on the team would be a bad decision.

 

[ReanimationLP]

It's sad that shes still injured and her career came to this end.

She is quite beautiful too, and an amazing skater. She'll go down in the history books though, I've never seen such grace on the ice.

 

[pseudobrit]

I heard she tested positive for steroids.

j/k

 

[Deepdale]

She'll go down in the history books though, I've never seen such grace on the ice.

Despite dealing with physical pain and emotional distress from the crushing disappointment of being unable to compete, she was exceedingly gracious and forthcoming in the just completed news conference from Torino. It makes one proud to see an athlete like her speak of the Olympics as more of an ideal and unmatched experience than a pure sporting event. I wish her the very best in all future endeavors.

 

[Abstract]

I heard she tested positive for steroids.

j/k

Someone once tried to tell Michelle Kwan that roundhouse kicks aren't the best way to kick someone. This has been recorded by historians as the worst mistake anyone has ever made.


Poor Michelle. We share the same surname, so when I was really young and my dumbass classmates used to ask me if I was related to her, I told them "yes."

 

[devilot]

She'll go down in the history books though, I've never seen such grace on the ice.

She's already in them. She's the most 'winningest' female skater ever. The most world championships, etc. Stupid young little upstarts who stole 'her' gold the last two times around.

 

[Les Kern]

She's already in them. She's the most 'winningest' female skater ever. The most world championships, etc. Stupid young little upstarts who stole 'her' gold the last two times around.

Good riddance. Putting her on the team when she didn't earn the RIGHT to, which bumped someone who DID earn the right will forever have me thinking less of her, regardless of her past. Even if she didn't make the decision, she STILL could have done the right thing.
Have a nice trip home, now get lost.

 

[eva01]

Good riddance. Putting her on the team when she didn't earn the RIGHT to, which bumped someone who DID earn the right will forever have me thinking less of her, regardless of her past. Even if she didn't make the decision, she STILL could have done the right thing.
Have a nice trip home, now get lost.

well the panel of 5 judges thought she had the right to be on the team, seeing as she was voted on it by the judges.

 

[Deepdale]

well the panel of 5 judges thought she had the right to be on the team, seeing as she was voted on it by the judges.

True, but that decision can easily be influenced by the person's past accomplishments -- moreso when the one is question has won multiple championships and received widespread acclaim -- and that is when some of the independent judgment gets clouded.

I understand the harsh sentiment expressed by Les Kern because I also thought she should have stepped aside in favor of another athlete who was totally healthy and ready for the rigors of that sport. Michelle's injuries had been lingering and all the key signs were there for her to defer to someone else.

 

[Abstract]

I understand the harsh sentiment expressed by Les Kern because I also thought she should have stepped aside in favor of another athlete who was totally healthy and ready for the rigors of that sport. Michelle's injuries had been lingering and all the key signs were there for her to defer to someone else.

But being on the team because you were the greatest happens in most sports (like hockey for example). It's not like Michelle is the lone example.

I don't think Michelle should be on that team, but I don't look down at her for being there. Also, she did have the sense to back down. Some people would have gone out there and waisted the chance for someone else to win the gold.

 

[floriflee]

What about the possibility of her turning pro? I somehow doubt this is the last we will hear of Michelle Kwan.

 

[floriflee]

What about the possibility of her turning pro? You make is sound like she's going to be gone forever. I somehow doubt this is the last we will hear of Michelle Kwan.

Edit: Something funky with my connection made this post appear twice...

 

[muffinman]

on nbc yesturday or sometime, they were having a tribute to michelle kwan. they made it seem that she died or something.

basically, though, they say that she is over. her career is gone.???!?!?$

How is that possible? one of the greatest skaters of all time, and she's over just like that cause she dropped out of the running of gold???

 

[floriflee]

on nbc yesturday or sometime, they were having a tribute to michelle kwan. they made it seem that she died or something.

basically, though, they say that she is over. her career is gone.???!?!?$

How is that possible? one of the greatest skaters of all time, and she's over just like that cause she dropped out of the running of gold???

The only thing I can come up with as to why this is a big deal is because they are saying this was her last Olympic showing. Who knows where she'll go from here. I'm guessing turn pro, or perhaps do a Disney on Ice show?