Have to say this
Feb. 21st, 2006 09:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sailorzeoI have to rant for a bit. Just to get this off my chest.
The American sports media has a love-hate affair with Michelle Kwan. In non-Olympic years, they adore her. In Olympic years, it's "Who's going to beat Michelle?"
I'm not watching the Olympics this year. The news that Michelle was too injured to compete broke my heart. From reports I read, her decision to stay Olympic-eligible until Torino was a difficult one, and now she won't even have that chance to get out there and try again for the gold. Because, unless you have the shiny gold medal, you're a failure in the eyes of the media. Especially if one of your teammates, a younger, "cuter" teammate, wins that gold.
Nagano. Everyone was convinced Michelle would win the gold. Then came Tara. (sigh) After the final skate, everyone kept commenting how Michelle "lost the gold medal." Now, I have the feeling that if the gold medalist had been anyone other than another American, the media reaction would have been, "Way to go Michelle, bringing home the silver!" Michelle herself was quoted in interviews as saying, "I didn't 'lose the gold.' I WON the SILVER." She went on to prove herself at Worlds: gold. Goodwill Games: Gold. On and on, Michelle was top of the heap. But people kept pointing out: Oh, Tara wasn't there (she claimed a hip injury right after Nagano that kept her out of Worlds, then announced her decision to go pro right after Worlds).
Salt Lake City, four years later. This time, the media was split. Die-hard Michelle fans swearing, "This is her time." But in the other corner...Sasha Cohen fans. Little. Cute. Jumper. Deja vu. Sasha herself bragging, "I'm gonna win the gold, then retire, just like Tara." Oooh, how cute, Sasha gave her cell phone to the president, asking him to say hi to her grandmother. Luckily, for the Michelle fans, anyway, Sasha's free skate was a splat-fest. But wait...there was a third member of the US Olympic Skating Team. Sara Hughes. Not as little and cute as Sasha, but...she had moves. She had a technical achievement: seven triple-triples in one performance. And Michelle ended up third, once again behind a younger teammate. "Oh, Michelle's washed-up, she only got the bronze," was public opinion. Yet, over on the men's side, "Woohoo! Way to go, Tim Goebel, you got the BRONZE!!!" WTF?
Now, Torino, and Michelle's too injured to skate. The sports media (at least Sports Illustrated) is crowing over how Sasha Cohen won Nationals this year. But Michelle was injured, and didn't skate. Sasha is still cocky, commenting about how Michelle should retire and give someone else a chance. Seems like she still deserves the title rec.sports.skating.ice.figure gave her five years ago: Lil Miss THANG.
I was looking forward to Torino, thinking it was Michelle's final chance to say, "Screw you, American media! I am NOT washed up!" But when I heard the radio report that she was out, I just lost all interest in the Games. If Sasha wins, more power to her. I just hope the thought stays in her mind, "Would this medal still be mine if Michelle had skated?"
The American sports media has a love-hate affair with Michelle Kwan. In non-Olympic years, they adore her. In Olympic years, it's "Who's going to beat Michelle?"
I'm not watching the Olympics this year. The news that Michelle was too injured to compete broke my heart. From reports I read, her decision to stay Olympic-eligible until Torino was a difficult one, and now she won't even have that chance to get out there and try again for the gold. Because, unless you have the shiny gold medal, you're a failure in the eyes of the media. Especially if one of your teammates, a younger, "cuter" teammate, wins that gold.
Nagano. Everyone was convinced Michelle would win the gold. Then came Tara. (sigh) After the final skate, everyone kept commenting how Michelle "lost the gold medal." Now, I have the feeling that if the gold medalist had been anyone other than another American, the media reaction would have been, "Way to go Michelle, bringing home the silver!" Michelle herself was quoted in interviews as saying, "I didn't 'lose the gold.' I WON the SILVER." She went on to prove herself at Worlds: gold. Goodwill Games: Gold. On and on, Michelle was top of the heap. But people kept pointing out: Oh, Tara wasn't there (she claimed a hip injury right after Nagano that kept her out of Worlds, then announced her decision to go pro right after Worlds).
Salt Lake City, four years later. This time, the media was split. Die-hard Michelle fans swearing, "This is her time." But in the other corner...Sasha Cohen fans. Little. Cute. Jumper. Deja vu. Sasha herself bragging, "I'm gonna win the gold, then retire, just like Tara." Oooh, how cute, Sasha gave her cell phone to the president, asking him to say hi to her grandmother. Luckily, for the Michelle fans, anyway, Sasha's free skate was a splat-fest. But wait...there was a third member of the US Olympic Skating Team. Sara Hughes. Not as little and cute as Sasha, but...she had moves. She had a technical achievement: seven triple-triples in one performance. And Michelle ended up third, once again behind a younger teammate. "Oh, Michelle's washed-up, she only got the bronze," was public opinion. Yet, over on the men's side, "Woohoo! Way to go, Tim Goebel, you got the BRONZE!!!" WTF?
Now, Torino, and Michelle's too injured to skate. The sports media (at least Sports Illustrated) is crowing over how Sasha Cohen won Nationals this year. But Michelle was injured, and didn't skate. Sasha is still cocky, commenting about how Michelle should retire and give someone else a chance. Seems like she still deserves the title rec.sports.skating.ice.figure gave her five years ago: Lil Miss THANG.
I was looking forward to Torino, thinking it was Michelle's final chance to say, "Screw you, American media! I am NOT washed up!" But when I heard the radio report that she was out, I just lost all interest in the Games. If Sasha wins, more power to her. I just hope the thought stays in her mind, "Would this medal still be mine if Michelle had skated?"
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I agree on the Michelle Kwan thing
Date: Feb. 21st, 2006 11:16 pm (UTC)I did watch the pairs skating though, and I glad that I got to see the Chinese couple skate. The young woman showed more courage than you would think possible to finish her program after that fall. I bet she wouldn't say something as stupid as what Sara Hughes said about Michelle Kwan dropping out.