Tara Lipinski 1998 Nagano Olympic SP Anastasia (Japan Commentary)

[TheGirlOfDarkess]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*** sorry Michelle but she is...OMG!!!

[anne91276]

Tara became the most trusted commenter. Her past experiences with figure skating put her at the top of her level of competency. Shizuka also had her debut as a commenter. I would highly appreciate it if you learn how to respect Tara's right to do her job. You may not agree with some of the things she says, but it is her job to make a commentary of that figure skater, and you do not have the right to shut her up.

[johny258]

@karosanyo, no he does not, he just points out the facts about how truly insignificant a hypocrite self-obsessed creature like kwan is.

Fact: Ambassador for the heinous Chinese regime, compare to Michael Chang, all these endorsements w/o any talent. Imagine tiger woods w/o a major and u get our drift. U all should go and live in China and truly support Ms Kwan and her ilk.

[jenshu7]

Its sad that we'll never see a true performance like this again. The new point system has turned figure skating into a constant stress on the skaters. 'did i revolve exactly the right amount of times; did i hold this for enough rotations/seconds' When do we ever get to see someone do a back flip for the heck of it anymore?

[lowdaisy1]

I quite like this program! The spiral sequence was really nice. I love Tara and I wish she'd continue skating but I know she had a hip injury and that wasn't really her fault. She deserved to win here. :)

[idolfan9495]

The judges penalized her for the flutz in the short program.

[allenglandlawns]

@idolfan9495 Kwan flutzes more times than not but they seem to go unnoticed by the judges. Outright favoritism and the judges and the Kwanatics turn a blind eye to her imperfections... so in love with their Kween that any objectivity is lost. Was there ANYONE ELSE even competing? IMO, Tara won this short program but her come-from-behind victory made her Gold medal that much sweeter... Tara defeated the all the odds and Kwan favoritism and WON.

[mlc2005]

@allenglandlawns: How can you claim Kwan was gifted medals and benefited from corruption and "favoritism" when the judges DID NOT place her first???? You and getreal only claim favoritism when Kwan DOES win, but forget that when she didn't perform her best, she didn't get the marks (just like everyone else). Face reality: Read just a few articles about figure skating, and inevitable you will read something like "Kwan, arguably regarded as the greatest skater since Sonja Henie."

[allenglandlawns]

@mlc2005 But corruption and favoritism doesn't ALWAYS have to mean "Gold". Kwan usually gets away with things she in no way deserves... 97 nats, Sasha's SLC Bronze, Emily's Olympic spot...no she didn't have to EARN them. Just show up (or not like 06 nats). But Kwan did earn the silver here. Tara rocked these Games!

[MissThingSings]

@allenglandlawns Not one credible authority, coach, skater or commentator has suggested that Michelle benefitted from favoritism. NOT ONE. It's only you ignorant Sasha fans who would rather perpetuate unfounded accusations rather than accept the truth..and the truth is that Sasha's failure to become a champion is NOT the result of Kwan favoritism, it is the result of her being the biggest choker in skating history. When did Sasha skate two clean programs and lose to a flawed skate by Michelle?

[getrealandsee]

She is so tiny and cute...the music is perfect and her costume fits it so well. I just love this program:)-) Lively, happy...just like the adorable little skater performing!!

[EquinoxGlide]

Like a Fairy.

The short program was better than the long.

[archieanders]

The epitome of UGLINESS.

[allenglandlawns]

@archieanders More like courage, fire, and grace...more than Kwan ever had in her million years of hanging around...so desperate to get that OGM...to cheat Emily out in 06 to satiate her greed... Tara won on her FIRST try and moved on with her life...no need to hog the spotlight. Kwan Kwapped up and disgraced herself TWICE!...maybe thrice counting Torino.

[allenglandlawns]

She should have won the short program, but she fought her way through injury, the Kwan favoritism and came out on top. What a phenomenal skater! She has every right to feel proud of herself.

[Karosanyo]

@allenglandlawns No way. Kwan's short program was in a class my itself. It's the greatest ladies short program of all time (the choreography was truly unique and masterful). Tara's jumps were more difficult (she did a 3F and a 3Z-2L , but Kwan's lutz combo was cleaner and her double axel was better), but everything else in Kwan's program was superior. I agree that Tara deseved to win the LP but NOT the SP.

[getrealandsee]

@Karosanyo Kwan's program was simple and safe..just masked with 'elegant' music. Tara did deserve the win in the short but hey...that just makes her Olympic Gold Medal shine brighter. Kwan's programs were always in a class by themselves...plain, ordinary, simple, safe and a whole lot of smoke and mirrors with the wigs jigs and phony facial expressions..not like the real competitors..and she assumed that she would be handed the gold.

[allenglandlawns]

@getrealandsee I like how you put that...'elegant music.' I love Rachmaninoff, Dvorak, and Rimsky-Korsakov music that Kwan skated to but her ultimately her programs were sap. Pretty but they just mask her mediocre skills. Couldn't hide it no more when COP took over! =)

[getrealandsee]

@Karosanyo B U L L K A K A Tara skated with joy, fire, courage, and her 1 5.9 meant more than all of Kwan's...she EARNED it and this program is alive. Tara is a true Olympian and seized the event as a once in a lifetime opportunity and brought home the Gold medal for our country. She is one lovely young woman who just plain showed her love for skating! Tara Lipinski is fire on ice.Oh, and the Brits..well, in 2002 it was a whole different story and Kwan had FOUR years to improve and change

[Karosanyo]

@getrealandsee Tara deserved to win the long but not the short. MIchelle Kwan's '98 Rach short program is such a masterpiece of artistry. Her program WAS more difficult than Tara's (spiral, footwork, spins choreography, etc.). Tara's combo and single triple was more difficult, though Kwan's jumps were bigger (her lutz was always better than Tara's). I am not talking about 2002 here (I disliked that she watered down some choreography). It's too bad that she didn't have TFB and Aranjuez that year.

[getrealandsee]

@Karosanyo Well, ok....you could be right. I LIKED Tara's short program much better than Michelle's .Tara's was so fresh and lively as was she herself but maybe Kwan's was a bit more difficult in terms of choreography and footwork...sometimes my dislike of the Kwan Can Do No Wrong Mentality and Kwan's flat out arrogance in assuming that the Gold is/was a flat out lock precludes and overrides my objectivity. Not really worth arguing about but since you are civil...I'll concede 1998:)

[TeamKween2010]

@allenglandlawns Actually the judges had it right in the short programs, Ms. Allenglandlawns. Tara skated in an earlier group; meaning that judges must leave marks to place another skater if they feel like it. And while Michelle's techincal elements were lower than Tara's (Tara had the flip and the double loop combination), the elements were not as clean as Kwan's.

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 Why didn't those save room rules apply to Kwan? Ever. I watch videos and the commentators make cracks like....'well, so much for saving room'....excuses for her when she falls or messes up.....and then the ludicrously laughable high marks....maybe I shouldn't say 'didn't'....God knows that Kwan is so desperate for an Olympic Gold medal that she might still have tricks up her sleeve...for sure she has no shame.

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee How to begin? Well many define the Olympic Gold medal as this "elusive" title. But the fact is it does not make or break a skater. Some of the greatest in the sport have not won the Olympics (eg. Linda Fratianne, Janet Lynn.etc). Yet they are highly recognizable and respected. As far as "Kwan was desperate for an Olympic Gold medal", I think you worded it wrong. There is a fine line between desperation and thriving on competition. Michelle thrived on competition. No shame in that.

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 I disagree....Michelle didn't thrive on competiton...she thrived on attention....had she thrived on REAL competiton she would have done as she said after 1998 and upped her technicial program...I respect your opinon, but man I SO disagree...and the Olympic Gold is what Michelle wanted...she counted on having it handed to her...to say it doesn't matter is kinda like sour grapes for her...it doesn't matter because she can't have it...again...I respect your opinion while keeping mine

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee Well thanks. I respect your opinion too. This being a subjective sport, there are bound to be many times where we disagree. :)

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee And the judges left scores for other skaters. Remember 2000 Worlds? The judges marks for Kwan were not very high. They left marks for Butryskaya and Slutskaya incase they skate great. But on that given night, I doubt anyone could have beaten Kwan. She was on fire. Then there is 2001 Worlds. Kwan skated right before Slutskaya. Even with a triple triple, they left marks for Slutskaya. But she didn't skate well enough to beat Kwan. Those are two examples for you.

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 Well, I will concede those two examples and thanks!! Nationals is where the slams to the credibility and integrity of skating are the most obvious...I can't get past that ludicrous mess in 1997 and then for Kwan to 'win' from then on....and she herself boasts about all her 'golds'....c'mon...does she really think that the public is that STUPID? Skate America....the high level skating officials were horrified at the damage done....and there was real damage.....that was Sarah's gold

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee I am sure this question has been asked so many times, but you cannot blame an athlete for the marks or a placement. Figure skating is a very subjective sport, and there will always be controversies. Just look recently at the 2010 Olympic Games. Plushenko thought he should have won the gold medal instead of Evan Lysacek. The results can/may be debated all we want, but in the end we just have to come to grips with what happend as the past and move on.

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee I am sure this question has been asked so many times, but you cannot blame an athlete for the marks or a placement. Figure skating is a very subjective sport, and there will always be controversies. Just look recently at the 2010 Olympic Games. Plushenko thought he should have won the gold medal instead of Evan Lysacek. The results can/may be debated all we want, but in the end we just have to come to grips with what happend as the past and move on.

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 I DO blame Michelle...I know it's unrealistic to others, though...I know that at many points in my life I have actually refused credit when it was handed to me...I knew that someone else did better. She made a comment in a documentary that 'she didn't watch the other skaters after her in 1998 because she didn't want to wish bad things to happen to them...i.e. fall...and that they had worked as hard as she had'....that is SO totally scripted and PR friendly. Phony. AND inconsistent

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee I know which interview you are talking about. However, Michelle never said anything like what you mentioned. The interviewer, Tracy Wilson I believe asked Michelle whether she watched Tara skate? And Michelle responsed, "Actually, no. I was talking to my mom and I was like it doesn't matter what happens...I am going to be happy with how I skated and even though I come home with the silver, I am happy and I just want to let everybody know... I love you and oh well".

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee If you think I was making up this interview, I will gladly post it. I have the interview. :)

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 I saw that one, but thanks! She said in another interview that she didn't watch the other skaters..including Tara but she attributed it to her not wanting to wish any bad on another skater...that they had worked just as hard as she has. I personally, if in her or any competitor's position I would have SO hoped that they screwed up...I am not so sure that wasn't simply the proper thing to say...she IS human after all. Sure is hard to buy into. And 2006 made it just plain phony.

[Karosanyo]

@getrealandsee You watch and study Michelle Kwan's interviews and performances like some crazy and obsessed stalker... You need to get some help and move on with your life.

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee And now you are probably going to bring forth to be an article that someone wrote regarding Michelle's words on Jay Leno. Until I see the full interview, I am not going to believe it. I am sure you have heard of Yellow Journalism. Incase you do not, it is journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers. :)

[getrealandsee]

@TeamKween2010 No, I am not...I didn't see Michelle's appearance on Jay Leno:)-:) I hadn't heard of Yellow Journalism but am aware that there's garbage out there..people can really been hurt by this but those aren't really the ones I read..those articles. I do watch videos and Michelle really does do some serious spinning and contradicts herself...she says whatever makes her look the best at the time and forgets her previous statements, or thinks we buy into every word out of her mouth. Phony!

[getrealandsee]

Yes, thank you so much for posting this. It's the only one I can find that shows the K@C...I love this tiny doll and she is an incredible skater...full of fire, courage, and you can FEEL the love she has for her sport. Her smile lights up a room:)

[birbanto24]

how to forget her big smile and her face when she achiev the landing of her jumps she was totally enjoying the whole program she was so fresh this was a prelude for sasah cohen a sahme that she never reach te goals that thara did she may only made it once but it was snough for making it big !!! we´ll enver forget tara

[ingriddiamond]

Tara Lipinsky was incredible!!! Thanks for the video!!