2002 Nationals Free "Scheherezade"

[HowsaBowsaYowsa]

She only did two jumps with what I would call above average style, artistry, and outflow. That was the double axel and then the triple flip. The rest of the jumps were rather small, tight, and guarded. Overall artistry was OK but not really exciting. The 6.0 scores were totally undeserved and pure Kwan favoritism. Sasha Cohen's performance this night was much better executed, exciting, and artistically choreographed. Sasha should have won the gold at these Nationals.

[anne91276]

@HowsaBowsaYowsa Your favoritism of Sasha over Michelle Kwan doesn't have a place in this forum. I thought what Michelle Kwan did was stellar when she used Rimsky Korsakov's challenging piece and turned her program into a sensation with comparable difficulties. Yu Na Kim used the same music for her performance too and her red costume almost look a bit like Michelle's when seen from a distance. Her musical interpretation of Scheherazade is just superb.

[twilliger123]

@anne91276 You mean ANYONE with a different opinion can't post, right? And this is NOT a forum like MKF, people do have the right to post here whether you agree with them or not! Ipeedonmyself and alldementedlawns are one extreme, YOU are the other. Just STFU and go post at MKF!!!!

[allenglandlawns]

@HowsaBowsaYowsa ITA

[michiganisnotsoco]

@HowsaBowsaYowsa what a joke! sasha's jumps are even TINIER than michelle's not to mention she has a way worse flutz. sasha's lp had a two footed jump AND a hand down on another jump, the judges were more than willing to give her a 6.0 if she had a clean program but she's clearly incapable of delivering at a real competition. you call sasha's presentation superior and yet she had to resort to copying mk after this nationals by adding the 2 split jumps right near the end of her olympics lp

[MissThingSings]

@michiganisnotsoco Sasha's fans have been so traumatized by her inability to skate cleanly when it matters that they have created new standards by which skaters are judged. It doesn't matter how many times you fall or flutz, all you need is good posture and the ability to hold your leg up high while smiling. Do this and you are FAR superior to any skater who won a measly 9 national and 5 world titles!

[anne91276]

@allenglandlawns (yawns). You are a complete joke. Go and find something else to do with your time. You are pissing everybody else in here.

[idolfan9495]

Don't bother to respond to the troll, allengland/getreal. She thrives on the responses. Apparently, she gets off on them. Give her the thumbs down instead and her posts will disappear.

[idolfan9495]

Scheherazade is not my favorite of Michelle's programs, but I still have to smile at the end of this performance. There is such a lightness in Michelle's skating, and such perfection in her line. She had the "it" factor.

[HowsaBowsaYowsa]

How did this ever win the gold medal? Do you all even have eyes? Did you even see the intense, rigorous program delivered this same night by Sasha Cohen? And this beat it? C'mon people.

[allenglandlawns]

@HowsaBowsaYowsa Absolutely! Safe and simple Michelle gifted some 6s despite being the first skater. So much for leaving room for the real athletes. Sasha was on fire with a daring program but nothing could stand against the Kwan favoritism.

[TeamKween2010]

@allenglandlawns Sasha made her mistakes, and I mentioned all of them in an earlier post. Plus you argue that Michelle's program was safe and simple, well, Dick Button commented on Sasha's program saying "she is playing it conservatively". I didn't think Sasha was on fire by any means. :)

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee Not many Kwan fans argue about the Nagano silver medal anymore. We (as a Kwan fan) have come to grip that Tara won the gold and Michelle won the silver. I am just proud that the United States had two ladies in the medal stand. The 5.9s were deserved as Michelle was a true artist on the ice. I do not understand how you argue that Sasha should have won this championship. She made like 3 errors compared to Michelle who had none.

[looneybun1]

@TeamKween2010 U r exactly right! It used to be that the Olympic Gold medals were a bigger deal because that is what earned them popularity, endorsements, respect, etc. Michelle got all that and then some without it. Like John Candy's character said in "Cool Runnings" ..."if you arent good enough without the gold medal, you will never be enough with it" (paraphrasing). Well, she is one who prospered without it, and remains one of the most beloved skaters of all times!!!

[TeamKween2010]

@HowsaBowsaYowsa I looked back at all the performances. Sasha's program was not as stellar as Kwan's. As Dick Button said, Sasha may have two footed the double toe in the triple flip combination, had a wonky landing on the last triple lutz, and a hand down on the final triple salchow.

[lilskittleemy91]

She picks the most amazing classical music.

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee Getrealandsee, who deserved to win the gold medal at the 2002 US Nationals then? Let's go back in time and revisit the programs. After the short program, Kwan was in the lead, followed by Cohen and Hughes in third. The top three controled their destiny. If they win the freeskate, they would be the champion. Sasha made an error in her freeskate, as did Sarah. Michelle had no errors, thus she won the championship. This championship was won fairly. :)

[kadoo430]

@allenglandlawns moot point since she skated better than sasha (who never failed to choke at every performance) and sarah who didn't skate as well. besides, they didn't just hand her the gold at either olympics she competed in so i don't know what your point is really.

[TeamKween2010]

@getrealandsee You are a figure skating fan, right? Have been following it for many years? Then, I am sure you know how the 6.0 system worked. Explain to me what you mean by "Downgrading jumps"? Do you mean the fact that she did a triple toe-double toe instead of a triple toe-triple toe? Also, if you have been a long time figure skating fan, you would know this is subjective sport.. It is all in the eye of the beholder.. The judges. On this given night, the judges felt Kwan was the best. :)

[dreamfairy573]

2 people need glasses.

[allenglandlawns]

I certainly enjoyed Kwan when she was told she wouldn't be wearing the Olympic Gold Medal. She lost TWICE even with inflated scores on simple programs that even she managed to screw up. Tara and Sarah went for it to show that courage and skill do matter even in a sport as corrupted by favoritism and bias. Kwan has NEITHER of those championship qualities and cheated the sport and true athletes for YEARS.

[ehrenaissance]

@allenglandlawns Yes, Kwan has neither courage nor skill, and you are an absolute expert. Sounds about right. I feel bad for you. You are such a pitiful individual that steeps to such ridiculous lows in order to boost your weak sense of self worth.

[JNagarya]

@allenglandlawns So, you're saying the Olympic judges INFLATED Kwan's scores, therefore were CORRUPT. But they WEREN'T corrupt when they scored T(i)ara and Hughes? You make no sense.

I wish there were a way to block posts by particular individuals so one wouldn't waste time reading them.

[JNagarya]

@allenglandlawns We can't hear you. The countless spontaneious standing ovations given Michelle Kwan, including those for practice sessions, are drowning you out.



[JNagarya]

@allenglandlawns You are doing more damage to skating than Kwan ever could.

And as she had no control over the sport, it would not be possible for her to leave it a "mess".

And she did the opposite of embarrass herself in Torino. Had she not withdrawn, and attempted to skate with the serious injury she was suffering, she would have embarrassed herself. But she didn't do that.

Instead she gave her spot to Emily Hughes -- who, if committed skater, would not have stopped training.

[MissThingSings]

@getrealandsee AKA Allenglandlawns...that anyone would claim that Sasha was denied glory at the hands of Michelle is ridiculously foolish. As beautiful an artist as Sasha was, she rarely skated cleanly. How many times was she able to skate cleanly in major competitions? Impossible for judges to reward such inconsistency...Sasha was not a complete skater and far less complete than Michelle.

[JNagarya]

@getrealandsee Did Kwan BUY this standing ovation also, jackass?

[RevShaqueefa]

Amazing. Both Yuna and Kwan's Scheherezade programs were magnificent.

[08dressageGal]

THE BEST THERE EVER WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kadoo430]

her 1998 Nationals LP and 2004 Nationals LP are also favorites of mine.

[sooniemix]

This is so great to see Michelle Kwan performing Scheherezade, and Yuna idolizing her, performs Scheherezade masterpiece at 2009 world championship. Two great legends! No wonder they are such good friends

[LhunGalad]

@sooniemix Are they friends or just know each other?

[JNagarya]

@sooniemix It takes much longer than a few years of skating -- Yu Na Kim -- to make a legend. Let's see how she does over the long haul, instead of jumping to premature conclusions.

And -- unlike you -- I don't say that BECAUSE of her race.

[getrealandsee]

@JNagarya Yuna Kim is ALREADY a legend...an Olympic Gold Medalist and the most popular person in her country...known ALL over the world as the very best...kwan at her best couldn't skate in the same air as Yuna..of couse Yuna said kwan was her favorite...MY GOD kwan has hung on forever and ever so sure necessary PR!!!!!

[JPBENEF]

@getrealandsee who was on her tour KWAN, oh yeah.

[bryan21tx]

The Greatest of All Time

[katydid41]

From 1995 to 2006 Michelle Kwan was a force to be reckoned with from National to World to Olympic events. She won more medals (gold mainly, a few silvers and bronze). No other skater in history (except Sonia Henie) has been so dominant for so long esp at such a high level.

When Kim Yu-Na was asked to name her favorite skater she answered without pause: "Michelle Kwan".

[katydid41]

.

cont'd from above...

Any that is the answer for many many of the young successful female skaters today. Michelle set a standard of excellence and work ethic and good sports demeanor that inspired kids who watched her all those years.

That will never change.

[onetwocue]

i wonder why she only does 6 triple jumps. in her earlier career when she doubled her second triple toe in her triple triple combo, she would throw in a 2nd triple toe at the end. i liked it when she 7 triples in her free(more technicality). overall still nice

[ixsharon]

so this is where yuna got her inspiration for scherezade!!

[lexlib]

this is the best scheherazade edit for me. plus i really like michelle

[allenglandlawns]

I think Scheherazade is a grand selection and it requires the skater to take command of the ice (esp with the Sultan's theme) which is why its a good fit for Michelle. Though I have to say, the choreography was slightly weaker in this program then ones she has done with Lori.

[koolaidnhemlock]

i love the kwan, but this was not a good program. i'm so over sheherazade.. this is like salome the sequel, but without the beautiful nuances. it felt like a paint by numbers program without any real personality.

[dreamingpraha]

I like Yuna Kim's version much better... although I am a big fan of MK. MK contributed so much to figure skating!

[Yummy1976]

What an asshole you are.... Really ans a sad asshole.

[crathman2]

From your posts, you appear to be a very jealous and bitter person. I hope for your sake you are just very young.

[mlc2005]

@getrealandsee: You are truly as ass! Truly. Your hatred and venom against Kwan is disturbing. It's okay to say she's not the greatest ever (although a lot of people think she is), but you take it way too far. Virtually every skater regards her with utmost respect and admiration, and she's done nothing in her life to create such hostility. What the hell is the problem? For someone who doesn't like her, you spend an awful lot of time on her clips. Do you need someone to help you get a life?

[waddleduckie1]

getrealandsee face it, you'll never be better or popular than Michelle Kwan. Your attitude problem gets in the way of your ability to be a critic.

[LiaChien]

MK may not be competing anymore but her contributions to the sport will never waver. What other skaters numerous programs stick in you heart so much that you want to watch them years and years later?

Only MK's.

[getrealandsee]

Yeah years..hanging on and on to win the one medal she will never have. But, kwan sure shows how to bite the ice ever so gracefully and bumble and stumble and make butt prints on the rink and then ever so graciously accept gold medals. No way is this lump of muscle a champion, athlete, and integrity is a word she knows nothing of. Thank GOD that kwan will never wear Olympic Gold and that's all that matters to any competitor...deny it all you want but it is the truth!

[08dressageGal]

I LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[equinoxranch]

Politics and strong arm deal making behind the scenes on her parents part assured her consistently mediocre performances got her on the podium.

Kwan never possessed the talent of several other competitors who were shafted more than several times.

[kwadruple]

who and when?

[getrealandsee]

I agree 100%!!! Sounds like you have been doing some actual reading and for that matter watching what happens on the ice. How refreshing that is. How very very refreshing...wonder if you will get a chance to read this before the kwanatics thumbs down it:)

[MissThingSings]

Getrealandsee you are such a phony. Here you are applauding someone for watching was actually goes on, yet on other boards you are praising Sasha Cohen as the greatest skater ever. Well, Sasha is certainly beautiful, but has there ever been a bigger choker or more erratic skater in history? There are polar bears who have been flat against the ice fewer times than Sasha. Michelle Kwan had a career that Sasha could only dream of. I regret that her excellence has left you so bitter and delusional.

[getrealandsee]

@MissThingSings I must had said something that I didn't mean to say because while I think Sasha is a beautiful skater I don't think she is the best in history...could have been for sure with her talent but I think her nerves got the best of her. As far as Sasha's envy or 'dreaming of Michelle's career'? Sasha Cohen EARNED every title she won however few or many...she didn't medical bye her way into Vancouver...and she can hold her head high. Her career is full of integrity unlike this wannabe

[MissThingSings]

@getrealandsee, it's really sad to see you grasping at straws to try and sell Sasha as a skater who matters. The truth is Sasha Cohen is the biggest choker in skating history...she's all style and no substance. Judges are not going to reward a skater who chokes in each and every competition. Judges prefer skaters who can land jumps regularly and on one foot....in other words, they prefer skaters like Michele Kwan! You can't rewrite history, hun. Sasha is a choker, not a champion!

[lexlib]

wasn't sasha also handed the 2006 national by default? and wasn't the olympics and worlds in 2006 basically hers for the taking on a silver platter and she still couldn't get it?

[lexlib]

you know who's the wannabe? YOU! just because you are so insecure and so inferior about your sorry ass you simply spray yourself here. also is the definition of a good skater having been unable to put up 2 clean programs when it mattered the most? sasha is barely able to do that or she hasn't. michelle has done it countless times. stop being an idiot for once. maybe you are Tara Lipinski.

[waddleduckie1]

@getrealandsee Have you ever figure skated in your entire life? Do you wanna be even more famous than Michelle Kwan? Do you think that you even skated better than Michelle Kwan or won more gold medals than Michelle Kwan? Do you even want to have more photographic moments on the front page of Sports Illustration or want to have more fans than Michelle Kwan? I have never heard just preposterous remark from an imbecile wanna-be. You really disgust me.

[getrealandsee]

@waddleduckie1 Why thank you! I consider it a true honor and achievement to disgust idiots!!!

[allenglandlawns]

@waddleduckie1 Who would want to be a self-absorbed, press-loving, OGM wannabe? She was never good enough for the only prize that means more than anything in her sport. She cheated this sport by skating safe, simple, downgraded programs while real champions skate like real athletes and move on when their time is up because the sport deserves real athletes to push it forward, not hold it back.

[idolfan9495]

@allenglandlawns What made you turn on Kwan and become a troll?

[RevShaqueefa]

@allenglandlawns Kwan is not perfect. No one is, so why only bully her on the internet? Other iconic skaters like Arakawa, Ito, Slutskaya and Asada have had major career lows and obviously, bad performances, but you only spend your time posting passive-aggressive, backhanded comments on all of Kwan's vids. It's not like you can diminish her success or her past record. So I'm curious, why give Kwan the special attention?

[allenglandlawns]

@RevShaqueefa Michelle, to me, is a wonderfully controversial figure. Yeah, she probably has natural flaws like the rest of us but the ridiculous fawning and praising for her is disgusting. She destroyed skating's credibility by being gifted medals and awards without earning them like true champions do. She ignored athletic standards by skating simple programs and counted on her so-called "artistry" to compete in high-level athletics while others pushed themselves and the sport to be better.

[RevShaqueefa]

@allenglandlawns The only thing Kwan could control was her performance on the ice. If you think people favored her, then I don't think it's her fault as much as the judges/the public. There are other skaters' jumps that I prefer, but I love her tremendous consistency and although you disregard her expression on the ice, there's a reason figure skating has a component score and Kwan excelled at giving the judges what they like in that department.

[allenglandlawns]

@RevShaqueefa I never thought Kwan was a terrible skater. Just mediocre, babied and over-hyped. Her skating can be very pretty but even when she skates like crap, she's still praised and rewarded. Real athletes pay for their mistakes and it was a complete sham with Michelle around. Kwan has no shame and collected unearned medals and stagnated while her rivals pushed the sport forward. Cohen was no champion either but she paid for her mistakes and competed honestly like any true athlete should.

[RevShaqueefa]

@allenglandlawns Based on your assessment, Cohen also overly relied on artistry and her unique contortionist abilities. I really do like her, but if she planned difficult programs, she failed to execute them properly in terms of jumps, yet I don't see you grinding her down. Slutskaya had the exact same Olympic medal standing (silver then bronze), but again, I don't see you saying she ruined any reputation or any field. I like that you're articulate but your bias is bordering on abusive.

[MissThingSings]

@RevShaqueefa Allenglandlwans posts under multiple usernames, often as Getrealandsee.. for YEARS has posted vile and hateful things about Michelle. It is believed that she is a former competitor of Michelle's, or the parent/relative of one of Michelle's competitors, because no mere "fan" would spend years -literally- spewing so much hatred. She pretends to love Tara and Sara because they defeated Kwan at Olympics but she is a die-hard Sasha fan who feels Sasha was robbed at the hands of Michelle

[RevShaqueefa]

@MissThingSings doesn't surprise me. I just wanted to see what he/she says when faced with logical arguments. This person has very inconsistent comments, almost to a bipolar degree. It doesn't stop any of us from enjoying Michelle Kwan.

[JNagarya]

@RevShaqueefa "Bordering" on abusive? His personal attacks -- libels -- are abusive. Not only of his intended target, but also of fact, reason, and logic. We see a sickly obsessed individual who loves to wallow in hate and bile. What an unpleasant subjective Hell to which to cling.

[JNagarya]

@allenglandlawns Why are you accusing Kwan for the alleged behavior of others? If others "fawned" over her, as you allege, wasn't that their behavior, and under their control, therefore not Kwan's responsibility?

You are an incoherent, irrational hater who has a serious problem with those who are successful, as shown in your personally attacking Kwan for others' imagined indiscretions.

Did she BUY all those standing ovations, asshole?

[Karolina917]

gorgeous... this music isn't as characteristic as: salome, taj mahal or aranjuez, but still I love it :) this program is better than yuna's performance (however I like yuna too)

[Coralme38]

this left me speechless :o

[rickram1961]

Watching this elegant program gives me the chills.

[antblack1903]

same!!! im shivering!

[uncchristine99]

The back to back falling leaves give me chills... what a terrific performance!

[mlc2005]

THE STANDARD!

[limide]

triple loop is under rotated

[JPBENEF]

Actually was over. Look at her feet and her hip.

[gcucolo11]

absolutely amazinggggggg! pretty dress btw :-)

[moonlightresonance08]

michelle looks really toned here! and wonderful triple lutz-double loop and footwork section leading to the two splits!

[fluteAHS]

did she get a new coach at this time?

or was she still coaching herself

[lexlib]

Michelle's Scheherazade cut was the best.

[idolfan9495]

This isn't even among my favorite programs of Michelle's but it still brings tears to my eyes.

[tennislover08]

Every time I see Michelle do a clean triple flip I wonder why she could not do it at the most important time at the 2002 Olympic Games....If only she could have landed that cleanly she would have won that gold medal and gone down as the greatest skaters in history....So sad

[sportstalk23]

i know right that damn triple flip, she would be the greatest ever but she's one of the greatest ever dont care how many gold medals some skaters have michelle kwan's career is iconic

[kjwilson032383]

i love frank carol's expression at the end of the program when michelle is hugging her dad. He is smiling and is like i know you could do it and is happy for her (even though they were not together)

[ElizaMogha]

i have no idea of ice skating but that lady just gave me chills watching!! amazing!! wow!!!

[arnelakawhitewash]

I was there that night as a volunteer. You can feel the whole arena and the crowd just went crazy. They knew how to appreciate and love her. It was the most memorable moment. Very magical and she is and as always grateful and full of class. WHAT A LADY!

[mlc2005]

I am convinced that she will be viewed as the BEST female skater of all time. How many trademark performances has she given us?

[sayalamar]

@mlc2005 AMEN!!!

[wozniacki15]

@mlc2005 way too many to count, lyrica angelica, tosca, the feeling begins, aranjuenz, scheherezade,rachmanioff, oh lets not forget salome at 96 worlds oh man.

[rickram1961]

This is one of my favorite LP'S of Michelle Kwan. Michelle displays beautiful artistry with some very good jumps. And you can't beat her trademark Spiral.

[ferency98]

When I first watched this program on TV six years ago, I jumped up off the sofa and was jumping up and down clapping and crying. I still cry when I watch this program or any of Michelle's programs. She is the best!

[tripleteighthnotes]

The security of the spiral is just incredible.

[TheNo1Princess]

It's so amazing but I don't know whether to just appreciate it or cry that this wasn't her Olympic performance. If it wasn, it would have been her on the gold podium, not Sarah Hughes. Ugh! That triple flip! And it was so good here!! But no matter what, Michelle will always be amazing.

[helyszinelokfan]

it's a lovely program, i love it so much, but my favorite is still the Lyra Angelica :)

[glamourqueenorg]

Like it or not, Michelle Kwan will always be recognized as one of the best (if not the best) overall consistent figure skater in Human History. It can get any better than this--complete package!

[glamourqueenorg]

We meant to say it can't get any better than this :-) She is awesome!

[trpldeck]

I prefer Sasha's Carmen

[yodabeesh]

Admittedly, not one of my favorite MK programs (see Red Violin and Black Swan...) I remember I was just happy that she skated cleanly after having such a hard year in the prior Grand Prix events, splitting up with Frank Carroll, and going with a different choreographer (Sarah Kuwahara) in an Olympic year. She really proved herself at this Nationals. She just didn't seem to have the same power and verve with this program that she had in the previous two seasons.

[QueenMajora]

Great performance. I especially love the two split jumps at the end.

[konchakovna]

Why oh why did the gorgeous symphonic suite have to be chopped up so much just to fit the steps and jumps? Surely the integrity of the music could have been preserved - see John Curry's masterful "Scheherazade."

[citysurfer1]

idiot. what a loser comment

[abdwybabe]

Too bad she never had the chance to win Olympic Gold. She is such a gracious lady and a true champion.