Kwan Withdraws From Olympics

[tubiscus]

(My first thread)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11302192/
BREAKING NEWS

Updated: 3:33 a.m. ET Feb. 12, 2006

TURIN, Italy - Michelle Kwan dropped out of the Turin Games on Sunday morning because of a groin injury, bringing her quest for that elusive Olympic gold to its most disappointing end yet.
Kwan cut short her first practice at the games Saturday after aggravating the groin injury. Though she said she didn’t want to drop out, the injury worsened as the day went on. After being evaluated early Sunday by Dr. Jim Moeller, she decided to withdraw.
“Taking myself off the team is the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Kwan said in a release, “but it’s the right decision. This injury prevents me from skating my best, and I’ve said all along that if I couldn’t skate to the level that I expected from myself I’d withdraw from the team.

“The Olympics is the greatest sporting event in the world and what’s most important is that the United States fields the strongest team possible. As much as I’d love to represent the United States in Torino, I would never stand in the way of that.”

ALSO ON THIS STORY
Celizic: Injury spoils potential storybook ending for Kwan
Commentary: Kwan shouldn't have come unhealthy



The U.S. Olympic Committee has asked to replace Kwan with Emily Hughes, the third-place finisher at last month’s national championships. A response was expected later this week, and Hughes was to travel to Turin on Sunday.
Kwan missed last month’s U.S. nationals with a groin injury, and needed a medical bye to get onto the Turin team. Moeller said Sunday he does not believe the current injury is related to the groin problem Kwan had during the national championships.
This was to be the last chance at the elusive Olympic gold for Kwan, the face of figure skating for the last decade. Though she won five world championships and nine U.S. titles, she always came up short at the Olympics, winning a silver medal in 1998 and a bronze in 2002.
Kwan was expected to appear at a news conference later Sunday morning in Turin.

A truly "World Class" act. Michelle Kwan is a true champion, and a team player in individual sport! Godspeed Michelle!

 

[slugking50]

I saw the newsconference live about 2:30am pacific time. Kwan was a mess looked like she wanted to crawl up into a ball and cry.


But from the Newsconference, I didnt get the feeling that it was a serious injury. that maybe it was a mild strain. So I wonder if she could have waited a week to make her decision.


I was looking forward to her bringing home the gold....

 

[loopymitch]

That sucks, she has a silver and bronze and really wanted that gold. She hasn't been healthy in a while though and hasn't even really competed under the new judging system. Her chances were not great but she did have a chance. I guess she knows her body and knew that someone else would have a better shot than her.

 

[6th]

As much as I would have loved to see her bring home a gold, she has not been the same skater in awhile now. Personally, I wasn't thrilled that she got a spot without earning one anyway. I am glad she pulled out early enough to give Emily Hughes the honor of competing. Emily may not win a medal of any kind, but at least she will take part (if allowed) in an Olympics. That is an unparalleled honor.

 

[Evenstar]

i'm happy

even if she had competed, there was NO way she was bringing home a medal of any color. i watch skating all the time, and she does not have the difficult jumps that are required in the new code of points. couple that with not being able to train seriously, i thought it was a joke she even made the team.

i'm not a michelle hater, i was really rooting for her back in 2002. she just doesn't have it anymore.

our best hope for a ladies figure skaitng medal is and always has been sasha cohen. the only question for her is can she not fall in the free dance, which she ALWAYS seems to do in major competition. honey, i don't care what color, just bring home a medal!!!!!


GO USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the real fun starts when the ice dancing begins. belbin and agusto are going to ROCK!

 

[VF21]

I think order has been returned to the universe. I didn't like the idea of Emily Hughes being bumped so Kwan could compete. Kwan has had an almost-King like series of injuries and, quite frankly, I honestly do not think she can compete at an athletic level with the younger skaters.

My thought is if you're not able to compete in the final qualifying events, then too bad. You lose. The people who DO show up and compete and win should be the ones representing our country.

Now, Emily is frantically packing and getting ready to fly to Italy. I wish her all the luck in the world.

 

[VF21]

I saw the newsconference live about 2:30am pacific time. Kwan was a mess looked like she wanted to crawl up into a ball and cry.


But from the Newsconference, I didnt get the feeling that it was a serious injury. that maybe it was a mild strain. So I wonder if she could have waited a week to make her decision.


I was looking forward to her bringing home the gold....

Actually, the one good thing she did was to make the decision early enough so that Emily Hughes can step in, have at least a little time to get back into the Olympic mindset, etc. Had Kwan waited a week and THEN withdrawn the pressures on Hughes would have been virtually insurmountable.

As far as Kwan bringing home the gold goes, it wasn't going to happen. She doesn't have the requisite jumps and with the new scoring system she simply would not IMHO have been able to beat Sasha Cohen or Irina Slutskya or a couple of the others. She would have been extremely lucky to even get on the podium, barring disastrous performances by her competition.

 

[hoopsfan]

I think order has been returned to the universe. I didn't like the idea of Emily Hughes being bumped so Kwan could compete. Kwan has had an almost-King like series of injuries and, quite frankly, I honestly do not think she can compete at an athletic level with the younger skaters.

My thought is if you're not able to compete in the final qualifying events, then too bad. You lose. The people who DO show up and compete and win should be the ones representing our country.

Now, Emily is frantically packing and getting ready to fly to Italy. I wish her all the luck in the world.

Ironically..it was Kwan who was bumped in '94 when nancy Kerrigan got the free ride because of the Tonya Harding scandal. I agree that she doesn't have the athelticism that is needed to compete today. Best of luck to emily and the rest of the team.

 

[tubiscus]

Actually, the one good thing she did was to make the decision early enough so that Emily Hughes can step in, have at least a little time to get back into the Olympic mindset, etc. Had Kwan waited a week and THEN withdrawn the pressures on Hughes would have been virtually insurmountable....

She took one for the team in 94, now she takes another one for the team. Knowing she couldn't skate at her best, she pulled out in time for a replacement to be made. I agree her chances of winning now were not good, but I salute her for making the decision so many others would not have made. Now if she were just a KINGS fan.....

 

[SoupNazi]

I'm glad she is: Can you say OVERRATED?

 

[VF21]

She took one for the team in 94, now she takes another one for the team. Knowing she couldn't skate at her best, she pulled out in time for a replacement to be made. I agree her chances of winning now were not good, but I salute her for making the decision so many others would not have made. Now if she were just a KINGS fan.....

You and I see this a little differently, tubiscus.

She didn't "take one for the team in 94" so to speak. She had NO choice in the matter. It was the US Olympic Committee that made the decision to put Kerrigan on the team.

As far as this time around, I think she should have bowed out earlier. She couldn't compete in the qualifying events because of the groin injury. She could easily have NOT asked the committee for consideration. Instead, she did to Emily Harris what was done to her back in 94 THEN pulls out and leaves Harris to try and pull herself back together after what must have been a heart-breaking drop off the team.

I feel the same way about injured players being selected for the All-Star game. They shouldn't be on the ballot if they aren't going to be able to show up and play. It's not the "Feel Good All-Star" game, after all.

But that's another rant for another day...

Good luck to Emily and the other members of TEAM USA!!!

 

[sActOwnGal]

I really wanted to see Michelle end her fairy tale career with a gold in the olympics. She wasn't going to be able to compete at her best so I agree with her decision to pull out and give Emily a chance to compete. It's kind of sad to not see her standing on top of the podium at the olympics and I feel like her career is officially over.

 

[kennadog]

I have mixed feelings about getting a "bye" onto the team. To have making the team depend on one competition and one competition only is tough, IF the competitor has a realistic chance to compete. The Olympic committee wants to send what they feel is the very best skaters. The ones with a realistic chance to medal.

Altho I'm thrilled she gets this opportunity, Emily Hughes is not likely to medal. I don't honestly think Kwan had a real shot at gold, but I think, healthy, she still had a chance at silver and a good chance at bronze. (Though that isn't what she wanted.)

I think she was classy to not delay pulling out, so Emily would have a shot. Since a team can only send two skaters to any world competition if the country does not have a medal winner at the most recent World's, Kwan has ensured there would BE a third slot for US skaters for many, many years. She is a 100% class act. And having watched skating since Peggy Fleming won in France, I can say that while Kwan has never had the really atheletic jumps, she is absolutely one of the most beautiful figure skaters I have ever seen.

 

[loopymitch]

I've always been a fan of Kwan, she's the most decorated American skater ever and she showed class by pulling out now so Emily could have a shot.
Eve-I agree with you about the ice dancing, it should be very exciting but the Russians are very good and will be hard to beat. I'm just glad they could get the citizenship problem solved in time. It would have been a shame if they had to miss the Olympics because she applied for citizenship too early.

 

[VF21]

And having watched skating since Peggy Fleming won in France, I can say that while Kwan has never had the really atheletic jumps, she is absolutely one of the most beautiful figure skaters I have ever seen.

You and I are in perfect agreement in that regard, although I've been watching a while longer than Peggy Fleming.



I guess my disappointment was with the system. If they are going to have qualifying events, then it should be set up so there are no free rides. If there are going to be exceptions, then they should revise the process.

I do applaud Kwan for what she's given over the years. She was, I think, possibly the last of the truly graceful skaters. With the emphasis on athletics, including more and more complex jumps, combos, etc. I don't think skaters who concentrate more on the stylistic approach are going to have a chance.

 

[PixelPusher]

Michelle Kwan = Dan Marino

I don't know a whole lot about figure skating, except I can't help but watch when it's on TV. Will Kwan be considered to "old" to be a serious contenter 4 years from now? Seems like only teenagers ever win gold in figure skating.

 

[VF21]

It's not so much that she'll "be considered" too old. It's that with the emphasis on jumps, complicated combination moves, etc. she simply won't be able to do them at the level the younger skaters will be able to execute.

So, yes...she'll be too old. The spirit would, I'm sure, be willing but the flesh would just be too weak.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

This is a disappointing devlopment for me, as I've never been a Winter Olympics fan; Kwan was my only "rooting interest" in the entire Games. I was interested in the drama of seeing if she'd have a shot.

Go USA, and all that... but I don't know if I have a reason to watch...

 

[VF21]

Women's skating doesn't even occur for 10 more days. You aren't going to watch anything else?

Whoa. I watch everything from luge to cross country pursuit, alpine downhill to snow boarding. I'm an Olympics junkie.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Women's skating doesn't even occur for 10 more days. You aren't going to watch anything else?

Whoa. I watch everything from luge to cross country pursuit, alpine downhill to snow boarding. I'm an Olympics junkie.

I, on the other hand, am not an Olympics junkie... not for the Winter Games, at any rate; skiing and skating and all that X-Games stuff doesn't work for me.

 

[MrBiggs]

That's weaksauce.

 

[hoopsfan]

Women's skating doesn't even occur for 10 more days. You aren't going to watch anything else?

Whoa. I watch everything from luge to cross country pursuit, alpine downhill to snow boarding. I'm an Olympics junkie.

You and me both, VF...both summer and winter.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Add me to the Olympics-junkie list. Where else can you get a regular fix of all the most obscure sports this world has to offer?

Last night I watched luge and, my real favorite weirdo sport, short track speed skating. Yay Olympics!!




Also, though it is horribly unpatriotic of me, I always root for the people representing the host country that year unless I have a specific interest in a particular athlete -- can't imagine anything more thrilling than winning a medal with the home crowd cheering you on -- so, for this year, Viva Italia!!

 

[Evenstar]

i'm also on the die hard list

every morning when i wake up, i check the standing to see who wins for the day. i am not one for surprises. at the rate i'm going, the only way i won't know who wins an event is when the olympics are in this timezone, or if i'm present LOL! i'm going to try really hard to go to the games in vancouver in 2010, and who knows?? maybe even london in 2012! i would LOVE to be in the crowd with my american flag in hand, that would be GREAT! yelling at the top of my lungs, BOO YAH !

gotta love that speed skating. man those men have some LEGS! DAYAUM!

GO USA!!!!!!!!! BRING HOME THE GOLD!!!!!!! well anything will do, just win as many medals as possible. USA REPRESENT!

 

[hoopsfan]

I was fortunate to go to the gold medal volleyball match at the 84 games in LA. Only paid 40.00 a ticket and could have sold them for 500.00 each. Happily the US beat Brazil...me and my dad had a blast!
Some of my co-workers volunteered at the games and we took a long lunch to go watch the Olympic flame as it made it's way through Orange county.

 

[kennadog]

Major Olympics junkie here, too. The first year I really became a junkie was the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. For some reason I can remember staying up to the wee hours to see the opening ceremonies live. Course, I've always been a night owl, anyway. I really fell in love with track & field and got interested in wrestling and olympic boxing, too. Heck, just everything. Since my dad was Canadian and I was born there too, I root for both countries.

 

[loopymitch]

I watched halfpipe last night and I'd never seen it before, it was cool especially as the women won gold and silver.
The pairs skating was very interesting. I have total respect for Zhang/Zhang after she fell hard, hurt her knee but then continued to skate very well to win the silver.It looked like they were going to withdraw but I bet her knee hurts like heck today. The team I wanted to win (Shen/Zhao) came in third. Of course Russians won again.

 

[VF21]

Here's what Mark Kreidler had to say about Kwan in today's Bee (extracted from the column I posted in the main forum):

* Michelle Kwan goes home from Italy, and I take no pleasure in being dead right about how that was going to go. It's no fun seeing a team get screwed up over procedural stuff.

Still, "classy" is not the word to describe Kwan's exit from international competition. This was always about Kwan's fierce competitiveness and her refusal to yield, period.

The same things that made Kwan a skating champion several times over - pride, ego, determination - ill-served both her and the U.S. team here. She asked for a spot, even though she was too banged-up to compete in the U.S. nationals (or any other significant competition for nearly a year), and she got it because skating's rules allow for it and because NBC wanted it.

Now the network will have to make do without Kwan, who was practically canonized for finally admitting she wasn't remotely healthy enough to compete. And Emily Hughes, who should have been in Turin from the start, is suddenly jetting that way from her home in New York, the Olympic practice sessions already under way without her.

Dramatic? Oh, baby. But classy? Not so much.

-----------------------------------------------------

He was able to say pretty much what I was saying.

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As far as the pairs go, I was very happy to see the Russians win. And seeing the Chinese come back from that horrible fall and still win silver was IMHO what the spirit of the Olympics is supposed to be.

 

[KevinMartin'sShotDoctor]

It's not like they made up the medical exemption for her. Maybe she shouldn't have passed the physical, but I had no problem with her going. Seems rather fair given that she lost an Olympic spot years ago because of a medical exemption. Sure, a groin injury is different from a pipe to the knee, but so what?

Kwan is not Dan Marino. Just because people aren't huge ice skating fans doesn't make it right that only the Olympics count. She dominated the sport (for whatever that's worth, personally not caring too much for a sport that seems to have a problematic scoring system) for years, and she didn't exactly choke against Tara Lupinski.

 

[Evenstar]

tough love, but he's right on the nose. kwan had no business being in turino to start with. i have a feeling NBC might have pressured the US skating federation into sending her since she is the most recognizable US athlete.

the half pipe was cool! kelly clark got some awesome air, it's a shame she sat her 900 at the end, she came SO close to a medal! she was going almsot has high as the flying tomato the night before. that has to be one of the coolest nicknames ever, the flying tomato LOL! it's even cooler in italian, il pomodoro volante.

bode miller is a JOKE. he has 2 more races, and he badly needs a gold to save his reputation in this country.