Michelle Kwan & the Olympics

Hi All,

I was so sad to hear that Michelle Kwan had to leave the Olympics!!!
However, I must say that she did so with grace and dignity--It must have crushed her to have to bow out (you could see her fighting the tears during her rink-side chat with her coach on Saturday).

Michelle Kwan is a true champion however--she realized that if she were to go on to the competition, she would not be helping the US Olympic team, vs. taking up a space for someone else's chance to go to the Olympics....

In essence--her leaving was allowing for a new rising star to have the chance to compete, much as she did 12 years ago at her first Olympics.

She is the epitome of true Olympic spirit and sportsmanship and also an awesome representative of the positive spirit and energy that is missing among athletics.

Many Kudos to Michelle for knowing when to step back even though it had to be the hardest thing she had ever done...

As an Asian American of Chinese heritage, I am not only proud of her
and her accomplishments, but also of the fact that she helped to change the face Olympics to include more diversity. :-) Even the US Olympic Committee has said that she was one of the most treasured athletes of our time...and that means a lot in this day and age of "now you see them, now you don't"... Apparently, she has won as many (and more) titles than Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill and Dick Button.

I hope that she continues to skate an look forward to seeing her in the Champions on Ice program again in the future....

Mon. Feb 13, 4:26pm

I completely agree.

Monday, February 13, 2006, 4:37 PM

indeed

she's an inspiration to us all.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 12:04 AM

her exit was graceful - but her entry was not - she used her fame and prestige to get on the team in the first place. She waited until the competition was over, then pushed her way on to the team.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 3:08 PM

I agree, I did not want to be the first one to post something negative about her though! That was a totally calculated move designed to maximize her marketing value for as long as possible beyond her retirement. I think it was Flava-Flav who said "Don't believe the hype!"

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 3:47 PM

I agree, she should've stepped aside from the git go to let someone else on the team instead of taking up the space that someone else rightly deserved to occupy. Don't get me wrong, I love Michelle Kwan and adore her performances, and I've followed her career throughout the years and wished she could've won gold; but her going this year was not right. Now the poor kid that's been waiting in the wings has the added pressure of stepping up to the plate when she should've been there in the first place.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 4:15 PM

I reckon it had little to do with marketing and more to do with wanting that gold medal. And who says she's retiring? I'm hoping she'll be back in 4 years time.

Hopefully Sacha Cohen will do well. I can't stand the Hughes sisters - the last one wasn't at all graceful on the ice, so no idea how she won in Salt Lake.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 4:15 PM

That's true-- You never know-- she could possibly be back on 4 years...I'm sure that if she can heal and keep from being injured, she would try to continue skating. It is obviously her first love...

I can understand her wanting to reach for the gold, she has outperformed many other super-stars in many ways... I guess I didn't find it that unusual that she asked to be "grand-fathered" (or in her case "grand-mothered")into the competition this year. Her skating record has surpassed that of any other woman skater in the U.S. except in that elusive gold medal.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 4:30 PM

I would love to see her in 4 years too, but if she earns it, not just because of her name.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 6:12 PM

Yes, I can completely understand her wanting to go for the gold and think it is very cynical to declare that it was a marketing ploy . I think this was the natural course from a wonderful athlete who has, as fate would have it, never reached that distinct pinacle of success. I don't think she's a saint for bowing out - now that she is sure she is not competitive, she doesn't want to lose again. We all should be proud of her for her accomplishments and her grace.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 8:10 PM

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