I don’t know about anyone else, but I was very sad when I heard the news that she had to pull out of the Olympics. I always loved watching her perform on the ice. She’s so beautiful and graceful. Hopefully our other girls will perform well.
OT Michelle Kwan
i am sad for her but i have to say that i don’t like that she took someone’s place on the team and then withdrew. I know that it was better for her to do so to keep from aggravating the injury further but it still bugs me a bit. Thankfully the girl who got displaced on the team after nationals does get to compete now. Would have liked to see her get one more shot at the gold though. 
did she pull out for sure–last night at 11:00 I heard that it was still undecided…I’ve been at church and haven’t seen a newspaper or anything…
I thought the same thing so I looked it up on Netscape. She dropped out.
I have mixed feelings on this. I do feel bad for her, BUT isn’t it time for her to move on and give another young woman a chance to compete? I loved watching her, but I think there should be a limit as to how many times they can compete.
I have to say I was pissed when she made the team. And even more so that Emily has a short time to get ready.
I thought it very selfish of Michelle to push to make the team. I do commend her for dropping out today then to ‘wait it out’ like some commintators thought she should do.
Michelle
I’m not sure about limits - if they can compete, they should.
However I echo brendajo’s sentiments. While I think they should compete if they can, I do not think Michelle’s entry onto the team was handled properly. If she couldn’t show up to skate Nationals, she shouldn’t have made the team. This “special dispensation” business was harmful - not only because it was an affront to protocol and the established rules for determining the champions that represent us in the games, but because it may have materially hurt the chances of Emily Hughes, the young woman who actually EARNED the right to be there this year.
Emily, who lives in the NYC area, now has to try to get to Torino while nearly every airport on the upper eastern seaboard is closed down for the blizzard. If she can’t, she’s not on the program, and her Olympic dream - hers by right, she earned it - will be toast. And even if she gets there in time, what has all this nonsense of Kwan’s done to Hughes’ mental game? For an athlete of her caliber, that focus is crucial to success.
I am very happy for Emily, and I hope she comes through this trial by fire with a medal around her neck.
Michelle Kwan is a beautiful skater, and it’s been a delight to watch her grow up on the ice. However the selfish motivation to usurp a skater who earned her berth on the US Team has materially damaged her with me. She won a bronze, she won a silver; Kwan may not have ever captured gold, but how many people in this world can boast two Olympic medals, five world championship medals, and nine US championships? Not too many. Instead of cheating another skater of her chance at Olympic glory, Kwan should have bowed out gracefully, her dignity and the world’s good opinion of her intact, because it’s just tarnished now by this last performance.
In response to the hoopla concerning Kwans departure from the competition, its admirable that she made a decision that felt best for her and that perhaps supporting the athletes instead of bashing them might help in the overall effort of mainting some team moral. While I and I’m sure many would cherish the opp to see live competition the greatest disappointment is to see them fall because of an injury. If it can be prevented and another athlete is there to represent then, instead of kicken up some gruff support more athletic teams and stop the hootinany cause we know you home like a couch potatoe makin commentary. And if another athlete is pressed for time and travel support don’t you think if the team had some extra finance an additional team member would have been selected to attend as a sub, or another PT on the road is always nice. I’m sure there must be dozens of accredited PTs who could have possible prevented the injury in the first place. Or at least helped keep it from causing so much drama. Kudos to Kwan and the entire team! 
yep what she said…
Well, remember Nancy Kerrigan got into her final Olympics the same way that Michelle Kwan did (actually, Nancy bumped Kwan off the team then). Hopefully Emily will be able to make it Torino in time to get some practice in. I don’t think that women’s figure skating is until the last week of the games.
Speaking of figure skating, way to go to our pairs team for landing the first ever throw triple axle in the Olympics! :cheering:
Is anyone else as confused as I am when it comes to those jumps? How the heck do they do which one is which? Oh well, they’re impressive to watch!
I’m confused…
I have to first say that (as a Michelle) I think that Michelle Kwan is the most graceful thing to every skate on ice. She was never a power skater and didn’t do all the grand tricks. But her artistry, grace and style were always the best. She could move me to tears with her beauty. And I was always looking to make sure that she was wearing her necklace. 
However, she knew she wasn’t 100% when she asked for the medical waiver. Her doctor didn’t recommend that she compete, but she decided to go for it anyway. She’s the most decorated figure skater ever yet never got the gold. So she bumped the rightful skater off ice to go in mediocre condition. She got the glory of the opening ceremonies, the right to march with her team and poor Emily was left at home having earned a place through hard work. She isn’t a medal contender, but she still had the right to be there. As a mother of an Emily my heart just cried when I found out Michelle was going instead.
However, I do feel that Michelle made the best decision about dropping out NOW so that Emily has about a week to get used to the time change, elevation change and practice for the Olymics. I’m glad she didn’t wait until the day before competition or something. I’m sad that she didn’t get to be at the opening ceremonies, but she will get to march with her team at the closing. I’m cheering for her :cheering:
Oh and if I remember my history (and I was living in Oregon at the time) Wasn’t Nancy Kerrigan’s medical exemption Tanya Harding’s ex’s fault? Wasn’t that the one who they later found out hurt her? I still remember Tanya whining about her broken laces to the judge and just having no pity for her at all. We would go and watch her skate (Tanya) and she was always so rude to her fans. (Hello! You are practicing in a public MALL! People are going to stop to watch!!!) I wonder what Tanya is doing today.
Tanya was on tv last week… looking quite plump, I might add. Apparently she’s trying to get into shape, because she has decided to become a boxer. :shock: I hope someone told her that Clint Eastwood isn’t going to be around to help her through it…
I was listening to a sports commentary on NPR the other day about younger stronger athletes pushing older athletes out of competition. I had to smile, because the guy (who normally seems to know a lot of sports history) was complaining that Michelle Kwan just can’t compete athletically with all the 15 year olds that are coming up and what a shame that was, since she is so artistic and graceful. The thing is, she was not a beautiful skater when she started. She was 14 years old and very athletic and the skaters of the time (Nancy Kerrigan, etc) who were considered artistic and graceful couldn’t keep up with Kwan athleticism. I guess its the “circle of life” for a skater ( or gymnast). Just when you’ve reached the maturity level to give a real performance that is more than jumps and spins, you’re out on your bootie!
I just remember when Kwan got shafted by that little blonde girl with absolutley no grace or charm, was totally gawky but she was oh so perky and did I mention blonde? I think that was the year that she went before miss cute thang and the judges gave her low marks and the audience booed and then the commentators say “that’s what the judges have to do, they have to leave room” and I’m saying leave room for what? If sshe did a perfect routine she should get perfect marks. But nnnoooooOoOOOOooo we goota leave room for little miss cutie thang. Then of course she gets shafted that other year by the surprising upset from that other youngin. Not cute and perky but more athletic. But now I can see the athleticism it takes to be graceful in Kwan. She has all the right stuff in one package. I thin its a conspiracy. :devil: