Kwan's exit is as graceful as her skating

[shellyfan]

Then in the predawn hours of Sunday morning, the final diagnosis came in and everything changed. The Olympics have always sounded off-key in Kwan's otherwise symphonic career. By her high standards, a silver and a bronze are medallions of opportunities lost as well as objects of achievement. Yet curiously, by yielding her spot, she may enhance her legacy, not diminish it. -- ChristianScienceMonitor (http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0213/p10s01-alsp.html)

[MKalltheway]

wow...couldn't have said more truer words! thx for the post shellyfan

[poster4591]

Wow... how true and wonderful to actually hear....

[neneth]

I hope Michelle will complete heal from her injury and not quit skating.I still want to watch her skate again.I know I'm selfish.

[Kabooke]

That last sentence has never been more true.

On all the channels carrying the news today
on Michelle, everyone one of the reporters
praised her for her grace and dignity in bowing
out knowing how difficult a decision it was for
her and how much she has worked to win the gold.

Remember what Dick said on two seperate occassion,
"her popularity seems to grow even more when she doesn't
win."

And, At the beginning of Tosca in 04' "Even when she makes
mistakes we are with her, that's the wonderful heart that she shows".

Come COI this spring into summer she's gonna be
an even bigger rock star! I pray they televise COI this year.

[Kabooke]

I hope Michelle will complete heal from her injury and not quit skating.I still want to watch her skate again.I know I'm selfish.

Honestly, I think she will heal from this
and compete again.

yet, no matter what she decides I love her
and will always support her as we all will.

[cglandrith]

At about 3:15 a.m. EST my husband and I were sharing the futon, catching up on the week's Tivo'ed programs as we are wont to do on many a weekend night early morning. My DH was on his laptop when the MSNBC alert landed in his inbox bearing the news that so many of us Kwan fans would be hurt to hear - Michelle had decided to withdraw from the Olympics.

Part of me died inside. I was saddened to hear this and then in the next instant I was angry. As much as I love Michelle, I met the first news of her injury last fall with sadness and then with trepidation. I did not want Michelle to go to Nationals or the Olympics if she could not compete 100 percent. I hoped that she would not attempt it. However, knowing the champion and fierce competitor that Michelle is, I knew that she would do whatever she could to compete on sports' grandest stage.

But even after she petitioned and received the bye, I still hoped that Michelle would let the Olympics pass, rehabilitate her injuries and come back to give us one more year of competitive skating so that she could leave the "eligible" ranks on her terms, as a valiant competitor at the top of her game.

This morning, I made the mistake of watching Christine Brennan on CNBC shooting her stoopid mouth off..."I think we've seen the last of Michelle Kwan." I got mad and turned off the television and went outside to dig out my car out from the 10 inches of snow we got here in No. Va. I called my mom in SC while I was shovelling. The first words out of here mouth were, "So Michelle's out?" "Yes," I replied sadly. And then my mother, the most wonderful, wisest woman I know said, "Well it's a good thing, because I'd rather Michelle make the decision to pull out herself, rather than skate and do badly and lose that way." The fact that my mother, who isn't as rabid a skating fan as I, can see that this was a good decision, made me feel miles better.

But it was a statement made by Peter Ueberroth, chairman of the USOC, that will be my final thought on the whole affairs.

"Michelle Kwan means more to the United States Olympic Committee than maybe any athlete that's ever performed for the United States Olympic Committee. She a leader, she's been gracious, she's somebody to cherish forever. She's a real loss to all of the United States Olympic Committee, to the United States of America and, I think, to the world. She's made a courageous decision."

'Nuff said.

Cheryl

[fannylwu]

I have been a Kwan fan since I first saw her skate back in 1995. It really upsets me to see what she has to go through this year. As much as I want her to win the OGM to make her dream come true and to shut all her critics up, I am also glad that she made the decision to withdraw now instead of holding on to it for too long when she knows that her body is hurting. To me, she ends her Olympic game with grace and class. And I just hope everyone, especially these who have been so harsh on her, would see the same.

[MKalltheway]

welcome fannylwu...thx for ur kind words.

random!...my sister is fanny woo:)