Tim Ellsworth

11 Responses to “No gold for Kwan”

1. Cameron Cloud says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 8:02 am
   

   This is a real disappointment. I had hoped this would be her year.

   She has always seemed like a class act (and we could use more in the sports world) both on and off the ice. Just too bad.

   (I actually hate to admit that I have ever even watched Figure Skating, but it was the Olympics, my wife had the remote, and I had no choice.)

2. Brett says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 10:28 am
   

   Kwan turned down an offer yesterday from NBC to get behind the microphone for the remainder of the Olympics. She said she didn’t want to be a distraction for the remaing members of the US Skating Team. I don’t know much about Kwan or what kind of behind the scenes stuff influenced that decision to say no to NBC, but it sure looks like a classy move that I suspect many other self-centered athletes would not do.

3. Jeremy Jones says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 10:31 am
   

   Agreed.

4. Alex says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 11:57 am
   

   I was rooting for her to get her gold.

   Of course…. there’s an argument that can be made that she shouldn’t have been there to begin with.

5. Scott Gladin says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
   

   Well… didn’t she say that she felt she was 100%, but then she began to deteriorate again?

6. Jeff says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
   

   Wanna get ticked off? Check out this column in the Atlanta paper today ripping Kwan for trying to compete, instead of allowing that she checked her ego and admitted she couldn’t cut it in Turin.

   I have a history with this guy, who like every other Atlanta columnist, just tries to tick people off and make a name for himself instead of provide sensible commentary. Nowadays I avoid reading any of them.

   +++++++++++++++
   Kwan’s performance wins gold for egotism

   By Jeff Schultz | Sunday, February 12, 2006, 09:09 PM

   The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

   Turin, Italy — The last thing this melodrama needed was another mutant soliloquy. But Peter Ueberroth just couldn’t help himself Sunday.

   “Michelle Kwan means more to the United States Olympic Committee than maybe any athlete who’s ever performed,” the USOC chairman said.

   I’m assuming five minutes with a history book, particularly the chapter on Jesse Owens, isn’t a prerequisite for Ueberroth’s job. Either that or he’s as lost as she is.

   Michelle Kwan pulled out of the Winter Olympics on Sunday. The move comes two weeks after her groin warned her it was all over. But Kwan did what all great self-centered athletes do under the circumstances: She told the groin to shut up, went to lunch and left her ego in charge.

   This must go down as one of the most pathetic affairs in Olympic history, even by figure skating standards. Granted, we didn’t see a knee-whacking. But it’s kind of like the difference between “partial nudity” and “adult themes” in a movie. Similar impact. Kwan orchestrated an assault, and it backfired. She made it to Turin by whacking skating officials with her Q-rating. You try fending off a ratings-hungry TV network and a pack of sponsors. It leaves a mark.

   Kwan cried Sunday when asked about probably losing her last chance at a gold medal. Now how can that be? It was just moments later when she said, “It’s not about the gold for me. It’s about the spirit of it.” It sounded good. Except that everything Kwan said and did leading up to Sunday screamed, “Me, me, me.”

   She hadn’t competed in any — any — competition of note since the World Championships last March — 11 months ago. In that, she finished fourth, hardly foreshadowing Olympic gold. She didn’t go to the nationals because of injuries. She petitioned for a spot on the Olympic team, based on the fact that, well, she was Michelle Kwan.

   Of course, U.S. Figure Skating stepped on Emily Hughes (who finished third at the nationals). Hughes was young. She could wait. She’ll play nice. So they knighted Kwan a three-time Olympian. But then, skating officials have the moral fiber of nougat.

   Hughes was having dinner with her family at a Japanese restaurant on Long Island late Saturday night when her father’s cellphone rang. It was then she was informed that Kwan was going to pull out of the Games and she was in. At the time, Hughes was eating sushi. “A Sarah Gold Roll,” she said, named for her sister, who won a gold medal in the last Winter Olympics.

   Kwan finished third in those Games. Her desire to get back to the Olympics apparently caused a malfunction in her conscience. She never called Hughes before petitioning for an Olympic spot. She never called after the mockery of a tryout two weeks ago before U.S. skating officials — in her home rink, with no TV cameras, no crowd, no competitors, no judges.

   As of Sunday afternoon, Hughes said she still hadn’t heard from Kwan, but the younger skater excelled at diplomacy: “I wish her a speedy recovery.”

   Hughes,understandably excited about coming to Turin this week, also said: “I watched the Opening Ceremonies on TV, so I don’t think I missed out on much.”

   Kwan owes this girl an apology and then a thank you. Chances are, she’ll give neither.

   Maybe Kwan really believed she was healthy. Maybe she figured, “Well, I’ll be healthy by the time I really have to skate.” Regardless, there seems to be some justice to all this. It’s logical to conclude that Kwan didn’t suffer a new injury, as U.S. officials announced Sunday. She merely aggravated an old one. Groin and abdominal strains can take months to heal.

   U.S. skating officials should have known better. Kwan should have acted better. But after weeks of pointing to Turin and defending her actions, she walked into a news conference Sunday suddenly looking about three feet tall.

   “I think the best thing for me is to go home and get better,” she said. “I don’t want to be a distraction here.” It’s a little late for that now.

   +++++++++++++++++++++++
   What’s amazing is a lot of the comments in the online version for the paper aren’t ripping him.

   My favorite is this one on the other side:

   “What a load Jeff. Had to take the opposite view to get people to read didn’t you? Well, it worked, joke’s on me. Michelle Kwan deserved to be on the Olympic team. If she didn’t deserve to be there, they wouldn’t have put her on the team. Has anyone tried harder over a 12 year period to win in the Olympics. Maybe your philosophy is to quit in the face of adversity. I’m glad that’s not Michelle Kwan’s.”

   “Your words are as cold as your heart.”

   “Sorry Jeffy Boy. What happened? Did she turn your request for an interview down?”

7. Scott Gladin says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
   

   This guy has been ticking me off also for a long time. Even when he writes about the Braves - his home team - he always puts them down. I don’t understand what’s wrong with this guy. He must have some deep psychological issues that needs dealing with.

8. Jeremy Jones says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
   

   *cough LIBERAL *cough

9. Scott Gladin says:
   February 13th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
   

   Who? Me or Jeff Schultz?

10. Gordon Cloud says:
    February 13th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
    

    Some sports-writers (unlike Tim) aren’t happy unless they are ripping someone’s jugular out. Michelle has earned the right to go as far as she can. At least she is giving Emily Hughes enough time to prepare.

11. Marty says:
    February 14th, 2006 at 7:31 am
    

    Kwan has already been to two Olympics, she was hurt, and she did not compete in the nationals. I would have liked to have seen her step aside earlier and let Hughes get her shot. Imagine Kwan calling a press conference after nationals and saying “I’m not sure I’ll be 100% in time. Emily Hughes earned a spot by placing in nationals. I’m gonna step down and let her go.” Talk about sending a positive message to kids. I agree that this columnist was too severe in bashing Kwan. I just think she had an opportunity to do something that is unheard of among today’s self-centered athletes and I would have liked to have seen her do it.