[ChicagoSports.com] Hersh: 'Lysacek sidelined; Kwan to compete'

[nymkfan51]

Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/cjvb4

I don't know what to make of this frankly.:?

[Mariak]

She is having a news conference tomorrow!
"Kwan, who this fall pulled out of two Grand Prix events and an invitational because of a hip injury, has a news conference scheduled for Saturday."

[serendipity]

Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/cjvb4

I don't know what to make of this frankly.:?


me either. :worry :?

[justsk8]

Yay on the new conference, and the rest is Hersh making stuff up for an article. lol Thanks for the link. :)

[Krista]

ok Im excited and also scared about the news conference. This season has made me paranoid.

[lavender]

I would say something about Phil but I would get put on probation.

[vixen62025]

Well at least she will have a news conference and say what she needs to say, so we don't have to listen to the likes of Phil Hersh and his never ending speculation.

[VCW]

Well at least she will have a news conference and say what she needs to say, so we don't have to listen to the likes of Phil Hersh and his never ending speculation.


I bet her conference adds to the speculation rather then relieve it.

[Krista]

Im going to have a stomach ache until the news conference now lol

[MKandNYYfan]

I hope Michelle was already in Boston Thursday afternoon! My dad flew into JFK last night, 2 hours after he was scheduled to arrive...I'd hate to have to worry about her cramped up in a plane and delayed all over the place.

When I 1st opened this link and saw "news conference", I immediately thought she was announcing a withdraw and retirement-she wouldn't have a press conference if she was simply withdrawing from Marshalls. But if she can skate in this, I'm sure she's on path towards Nationals and probably is just having an update with the media! Looking forward to reading about it!

[kwanluv]

Well, I can't wait to hear some "official" Kwan news from Michelle tomorrow.

Let the speculation end. :)

[CordeliaFitzgrld]

Hersh should have been a fiction writer; oh wait, my mistake, he already is. :D

[honey827]

Thanks, I am curious about the press conference as far as the rest of the article goes it is entertaining speculation.

[shellyfan]

While I agree with Hersh that it makes no sense for her to take any risks to compete in this absurd format at Marshalls during her Olympic training, I think his tone is far too patronizing. I sense he might be a little miffed because he predicted she would not compete and is being proved wrong.

I for one still hold out hope she will stay in sunny California, heal, train and avoid the circus in Boston.

I may be wrong but I seriously doubt Michelle would accept a bye to Turino if she has a problem competing in St Louis. I seem to remember she was oferred that for Nagano and preferred to earn her spot.

[kwansong99]

Anyone else having a problem with bugmenot? I think i've tried a dozen or so diff names to log in and nothing is working for me.

ITA, i dont know what to think of this either. I dont really care what Hersh says, because half the time he is just stirring trouble, im more worried what will be at the press conference.

We were all so accustomed to it being so quiet here since Worlds and that has now changed since she's competiting for the first time this weekend.

but the one good thing we know so far: SHE'S COMPETEING THIS WEEKEND!:clap :D :hug :clap

[scootie12]

Sorry to say, but some people sound so worried about a news conference. I kinda freaked out seeing the messages posted before I even read the article.

I'm sure it's nothing serious. I'm sure all it will be is Michelle giving an update on her injury, how she's progressing with practices, and where she plans on being physically by the time of the US Nationals & Olympics.

I'm sure the only reason she is having this conference is because this is the first time anyone has seen her this season, AND we all know the media will be peppering her with questions anyway. So I'm sure this is her way of answering everything at the same time.

I'm in no way concerned that she would make some devastating announcement, like retirement. We all know how badly she wants to try for gold one more time at the Olympics...I don't think she would retire SO close to the Olympics!


:bow :bow pray to SG for Michelle's health.

[lavender]

I'm not worry but someone also seems a little annoyed that Michelle didn't give them or the press the time of day up until now.

[MKsmiral]

I'm with you, Vixen. Just your typical Hersh blabber. I think he's being a little presumptuous with his "scenerios" - probably just testy because she didn't grant him an exclusive interview. :wink

I hope she has a safe trip to Boston. Right now, we have about 2-inches on the ground and the snow has turned to rain - New England weather is crazy!

___________________
:gphug = Feel the love, Michelle!

[nymkfan51]

I bet her conference adds to the speculation rather then relieve it.

Well there's an optimistic thought. :sarcastic

Scootie, I believe you're exactly right. She has had no interaction with the fans or media yet this season, so it makes sense, that on the eve of her first competition, she would want to touch base with everyone.

[VCW]

Well there's an optimistic thought. :sarcastic

Scootie, I believe you're exactly right. She has had no interaction with the fans or media yet this season, so it makes sense, that on the eve of her first competition, she would want to touch base with everyone.


No realistic. The press is going to take anything and everything she says at this point and twist it. It's an Olympic season and tis the season to speculate.

[Krista]

well whatever the case, we'll all know what this is all about tomorrow :)

[redvispa]

ok Im excited and also scared about the news conference. This season has made me paranoid.

My feelings exactly.....:?

[KwanPassion]

I am pretty sick of all of Hersh's speculations... he does sound a bit bitter.

But the press conference... should be good to actually hear Michelle talk and give an update about how she's doing. Is the press conference going to be from Boston? Anyway we can can a transcription of it besides the regular quotes?


ok Im excited and also scared about the news conference. This season has made me paranoid.


Me too....:?

[serendipity]

at first i was a bit worried about the press conference after reading the article. but after reading several ppl's posts, i think, like someone said here, she just wants to touch base with her fans and media (afterall, it's Michelle Kwan we are talking about here). :) maybe she'll reveal her SP and LP for the season!!! so now i'm actually excited about the press conference tomorrow (and of course her live skating performance on sunday)!!!

[Kay]

I hope that all of you are correct. I've cleared the decks (that means no movement until after Michelle skates) and can't wait to see her skate. Go get em M!

[RainbowR]

I don't think we need to worry about the press conference. Marshalls/USFSA probably put her up to it to drum up publicity....and they certainly will! I'm just thrilled to know I'll see her again soon!

[JazDFW]

I'm glad Michelle's competing. Only she knows her body and throughout all the years of her competitive skating career so far she's listened to her body. Who are we then to judge whether she should compete or not?

I think it will be good for her since it will give her a chance to get her competitive juices flowing LOL.

[TwinnerA]

kwansong99, check your PM. I sent you the entire article. :D

[debbwin]

Do we know what time this conference is????? eastern time/west coast time, etc.????? :)

[Krista]

*waits to see if mzheng has heard anything about the press conference*

[Crizzy]

Maybe Michelle will officially announce her LP and SP at the conference:clap

I agree Shellyfan, Michelle is not the type who will accept a bye. She'll work hard to make sure she earned that spot ala 98 oly:)

[Mezzshano]

I'm not worry but someone also seems a little annoyed that Michelle didn't give them or the press the time of day up until now.

Speak it! :8

The fact that he mentions her media
block-out says it all! :lol



I may be wrong but I seriously doubt Michelle would accept a bye to Turino if she has a problem competing in St Louis. I seem to remember she was oferred that for Nagano and preferred to earn her spot.

I think you are totally right on!

I remeber that too.
She said she wanted to "earn" the spot
instead having it just "given" to her.

I have no doubt she still feels
the same exact way!

[attyfan]

IMO, Hersh is simply p***** that Michelle is proving his earlier "prediction" incorrect. Remember what he did when she moved out of a dorm without telling him first? I think that, for her, Marshall's is simply a move towards her mental and emotional recovery from her injury -- a chance to get some confidence back in her body, and, to know that each and every twinge is not a cause for panic.

[vixen62025]

Just to add... At first I thought, "What does she need to have a press conference for?" and I was a bit concerned. Then I remembered right after Campbell's all the skaters "expected" to be in Torino went to Atlanta (?) for a national Olympics press conferece. My thought is that since MK was just injured before that, and unable to attend, the USFS set up this press conference. Plus, this way they get some more immediate publicity right before the Marshall's cheesefest.

[nymkfan51]

vixen, you may be on to something. It would make sense that they would ask her to do a press conference since she hasn't competed at all this season. And, I'm sure they are just delighted to get this added coverage the day before their made-for-tv-event.

[GardenKitty]

IIRC, Michelle has had press conferences before the season opening cheesefest and Nationals very frequently. It helps generate media coverage for the event. It was at one of those conferences last year that the reporter who visits MKF asked what color her costumes would be so the fans could match. I'm sure the conference will generate a bunch of articles about her injury and her plans for Nats, but I doubt they'll be any real news - just promotion for the cheesefest on Sunday.

[Deetlebug]

The USFS is so transparent.

Clearly they are having a hard time selling those pricey tickets to this competition. Since Michelle IS competing, who better to boost sales the day before the event?

After all, put the most popular US female figure skater, who hasn't been seen on tv or in competition in over 8 months, on a news conference and just listen to those $$$$$$$ ching-ching-chinging into the USFS's cash drawer. :silly

Besides, as others have so wisely pointed out, Michelle simply MUST announce her programs for the season, along with costume colors.

deetles

Skate Gods....please.......

:bow :bow :bow

[NeverGivUp]

I will just save Phil Hersh the time of writing his post-National article. So here it as I know that he will probably write it:

Kwan wins her 10th National title with mediocrity

Michelle Kwan won her 10th national title by skating tentatively to [music name here]. She has once again has not upgraded her level of difficulty by not doing a 3-3 combo. Something that she has not bothered to upgrade since 1997. With this being an Olympic year, it appears that Kwan is hoping that her presentation skills alone will help her win the Olympic gold medal in Turino, Italy. However, with the new CoP, Kwan might find herself off the podium because of her lack of difficutly in her program. Kwan can no longer rely on her name alone to help her scores. Skater like Irina Slutskaya, Sasha Cohen, and [name of a Japanese skater here] have all packed thier routines with an unusual amount of difficulty of spins and jumps.

One would think that lack of difficulty would have been a hard lesson learned for Kwan who had beaten by 15 year old Tara Lipinski in Nagano, Japan for the 1998 Olympics. Tara Lipinski, now 23 years old, will be inducted to the USFSA Hall of fame at these upcoming Olympics. Lipinski has moved on to a successful acting career [remember, I am doing Hersh's point of view on her acting] after having a lucrative professional skating career. It seems fitting that Kwan would get a reminder of her lackluster skate in Nagano by seeing Lipinski again at these upcoming trials. Maybe this will be the motivation that Kwan will need to competed in Turino.

I think that I should just email this to Hersh so he can just have his article ready after Nationals. Oh, I can change it around a bit if Kwan loses to Cohen too.

[donnylutz]

It's just Hershy being himself.

I can't wait for the news conference!!! Finally we'll no how she's doing!!!!!!

[synnabun]

My interest is peaked about the news conference. As far as Hersh goes... just blah! Like many have said... his opinion changes with the direction of the blowing wind! Bah!

[mzheng]

I will just save Phil Hersh the time of writing his post-National article. So here it as I know that he will probably write it:

Kwan wins her 10th National title with mediocrity

Michelle Kwan won her 10th national title by skating tentatively to [music name here]. She has once again has not upgraded her level of difficulty by not doing a 3-3 combo. Something that she has not bothered to upgrade since 1997. With this being an Olympic year, it appears that Kwan is hoping that her presentation skills alone will help her win the Olympic gold medal in Turino, Italy. However, with the new CoP, Kwan might find herself off the podium because of her lack of difficutly in her program. Kwan can no longer rely on her name alone to help her scores. Skater like Irina Slutskaya, Sasha Cohen, and [name of a Japanese skater here] have all packed thier routines with an unusual amount of difficulty of spins and jumps.

One would think that lack of difficulty would have been a hard lesson learned for Kwan who had beaten by 15 year old Tara Lipinski in Nagano, Japan for the 1998 Olympics. Tara Lipinski, now 23 years old, will be inducted to the USFSA Hall of fame at these upcoming Olympics. Lipinski has moved on to a successful acting career [remember, I am doing Hersh's point of view on her acting] after having a lucrative professional skating career. It seems fitting that Kwan would get a reminder of her lackluster skate in Nagano by seeing Lipinski again at these upcoming trials. Maybe this will be the motivation that Kwan will need to competed in Turino.

I think that I should just email this to Hersh so he can just have his article ready after Nationals. Oh, I can change it around a bit if Kwan loses to Cohen too.
lol. You could've fooled me.

[Louise1991]

lol. You could've fooled me.Seriously, I agree. NeverGiveUp, are you sure you are not Phil? :lol

No comment on the article, except........:(^^)Zzz :(^^)Zzz :(^^)Zzz

[mano]

Yey!!! Michelle press conference!!! Can't wait to hear from her about everything. Will the conference be televised? Wish we had a CSPIN cable channel for the news conference. Hopefully ESPN will at least give us an excerpt clip! If they give time for Tiger, they should give time for the KWAN!!! Sooo EXCITED!!! The season has officially started!

Hersh (Boo, Hiss, Hiss!!!)

Nevergivup, LOL, now I'm looking forward to reading Phil's article post-Nationals just to see how close your version is to his. The tone is definitely spot on. :D

[Dolphine]

Oh whatever... Phil. :crazy
I don't think we need to worry about her cramping up on a flight and make her hip sore again. I'm sure she can afford to fly in the 1st class.

NeverGiveUp - that was pretty good! You should think about applying for a job at Chicago Tribune to replace Phil Hersh. :lol

[kwansong99]

kwansong99, check your PM. I sent you the entire article. :D


:clap :hug Thanks TwinnerA!

[Rene1999]

Phil Hersch and Tara Lipinski should get together and have "Bitterfest 2005".

[3Flutz3Lip]

I just had a thought.

Wouldn't it have been better for MK to skip Marshalls and instead concentrate on going to Nats and 4CC instead?

As much as I’d like to see her skate, I wouldn't want her to reinjure herself.
Plus, this format doesn’t really help w/ any kind of CoP feedback.

Also, will she skate to one of her SP or LP?
If not, why even bother, except to be in front of an audience.
I think it might be a waste of time to go to a fluff comp like this.

[lavender]

Wouldn't it have been better for MK to skip Marshalls and instead concentrate on going to Nats and 4CC instead

I think so to but I think there has to be something up like some kind of obligation.

[gatzbee]

well speculating about whether this will be a waste of time i think is pretty much moot at this point. seems like she's determined to be there and step onto Boston ice. we can only pray for her continued health throughout marshall's...

phil o phil...

Remember what he did when she moved out of a dorm without telling him first?
:lol wait, did he actually do something or was that just sarcastic?

and dear lord, was it REALLY necessary to write what he wrote???? :sarcastic

[Heather]

Michelle always talks to the press early on during a competition, or a few days before a one day event like Campbells & Marshalls. I don't see what's so different in this case? Like a few mentioned, I bet he's just annoyed he doesn't have an exclusive interview ahead of time or something.

And is anyone else shocked that Hersh didn't write "hey, I was wrong when I said she wouldn't compete at Marshalls. I appologize." :P

[Forever Loyal]

Does anyone know about a Press Conference tomorrow. Someone posted on USFS that Michelle is holding a press conference.:boggled

Sorry, just read another thread where conference is discussed. Mods you can delete this thread.

[Amber11]

As sick as Phil Hersch is, he has a right to his twisted opinion. Let's just hope MK is well and has a good reason for all her decisions. Really, she don't owe Phil Hersch an explanation for anything.

[tinuviel]

I have not read the article (quite frankly I'm too chicken hearted after the responses of other posterrs), but I don't think the press conference can be anything too bad. MK wouldn't give up unless she had a very serious injury and by all accounts she is recovering. Besides, MK doesn't usualy announce big news in a press conference. She has changed coaches, decided to go for Olympics, and National championships, pulled out of events, and (gasp) even debuted new costumes without a press conference.

This is probably just to talk about where she is in the recovery process and to answer questions about Olympics.

If she were retiring, would she do it this close to Nationals? would she still be slated to perform/compete on Sunday?--you might say that she is using Sunday as her 'good-bye' but I think she would do that at nationals.


she can't be retiring, she just can't right?

[KeithB]

Wouldn't it have been better for MK to skip Marshalls and instead concentrate on going to Nats and 4CC instead?
As we all know, some of us have argued that Michelle should skip the Marshall's event and concentrate on preparing for Nationals and Olympics. While I cannot speak for Michelle or any other skater from afar, I can share my own experience as a musician in my teens and early 20s. I believe the analogy to be very good.

If I went too long at a time doing nothing but practicing one or two extremely difficult pieces in a quest to take my musical skill to the next level, I would get awfully stale after a while. Taking a breather for a few days and doing nothing but easy stuff would clear the cobwebs and enable me to resume the advanced work physically and mentally refreshed. Perhaps an occasional fluff event like Marshall's could be similarly beneficial for the skaters.

[michelle2006]

Breathe people, breathe. Mzheng, can you ease everyone? Michelle is fine, she is going to compete in Marshalls, nationals, and the Olympics,( hopwfully 4CC as well) and worlds.

She NEEDS to have at least some contact with the media, she's been cut off from it for quite some time now.

Breathe everyone, worrying is bad for one's heart.

Now I'll do the opposite of what I preech and go speculate and take some pepto bismol to ease my tummy aches.

[tinuviel]

Does anyone know what time the news conference will be?

[rubyred]

Keith B--I always appreciate your musician analogies. Very informative and interesting.

[BrazilSkates]

Does anyone know about a Press Conference tomorrow. Someone posted on USFS that Michelle is holding a press conference.:boggled

Sorry, just read another thread where conference is discussed. Mods you can delete this thread.

So... does anyone know what time the press conference will be hold?

Thanks

[aethera]

Hersh didn't really sound angry to me, so much as confused. To him, it doesn't make sense that MK would go to Marshall's, and I can see why, although I disagree. I think it was a weird choice for him, as a columnist, to go into such elaborate and particular detail with his reasons why it's risky to go to Marshall's, and I think it presumes a lot about where MK is in her recovery. But really, him describing his worst-case scenario just sounded like a guy who has a word count to make, and nothing much to say. It's gotta be weird writing skating articles on the eve of a big press conference, not (say) after the conference, when there's actual news to report.

[dramaqueenjc]

Keith B. Your analogy makes perfect pitch sense. Thank you so much for sharing it. :D

[bookworm1254]

So... does anyone know what time the press conference will be hold?

No clue. Before I came here I checked both Boston papers, the Globe and the Herald, and the New England Sports Network (NESN) Nothing. For some reason everyone's obsessed with the possibility that Theo Epstein might be returning to the Red Sox.;) (pray to the baseball gods for that one). Anyway, there was no mention of what we're obsessed with, the press conference. I'd check at NESN throughout the day, since along with broadcasting sports they also have sportsdesks. URL is:

www.Boston.com/sports/nesn

For the Herald:

www.sports.bostonherald.com

If you also want to check the Globe, which can be reached from the NESN site, you'll have to register. Costs nothing and might be worth it, unless Dan O'Shaugnessy is writing it. Probably not. Probably someone lower on the totem pole will be assigned to it. Actually, I like Dan, except that he coined the hateful phrase "Curse of the Bambino" and may have had something to do with Theo's leaving Boston in the first place. Sorry. I'm as rabid a Red Sox fan as a Michelle one, and for a lot longer time. Go Sox! :clap

Probably they all consider tomorrow's performance as just that, performance, and not sports. However, they should cover a press conference by so major an athlete as Michelle.

As for Hersh: :P What a load of bull.