Should Rachael Flatt & Mirai Nagasu now retire?

[AliasJohnDoe]

They should retire ONLY IF AND WHEN THEY WANT TO RETIRE.

^^This.

I hope any US lady skates late into her 20's if she loves the sport. Some of the best skating has come from ladies who've stayed in for years and made comebacks. Many people kept saying Czisny and Zhang should have retired. They didn't. They set goals and turned their skating around even when it looked hopeless.

I'd like to see Nagasu and Flatt stick it out for years to come. And I expect the same comeback stories for Nagasu or Flatt, even with younger talent coming up the ranks. Younger talent doesn't always work out. And the years of experience between these 2 ladies will only help them.

[judgejudy27]

OT, but was Butyrskaya ever a top lady for the USSR? I don't remember her ever competing internationally prior to 1993 but due to her age, it's probable she was a respectable young Soviet teen skater on the USSR Nationals level amidst the likes of Lebedeva and Rachkova, or even in the era of Ivanova and Kondrashova in their later years ...

I remember at Skate Canada in late 1992 they mentioned she had been 3rd at the 1992 USSR Championships, the last ever USSR Championships. So she missed going to the Albertville Olympics for the Unified Team as an 18 year old by 2 placings. Their representative there placed in the teens somewhere though. They also mentioned she had been told to retire at 15, so she had obviously progressed alot in her late teens in the final years of the USSR to even arrive at that point.

[Jammers]

^^This.

I hope any US lady skates late into her 20's if she loves the sport. Some of the best skating has come from ladies who've stayed in for years and made comebacks. Many people kept saying Czisny and Zhang should have retired. They didn't. They set goals and turned their skating around even when it looked hopeless.

I'd like to see Nagasu and Flatt stick it out for years to come. And I expect the same comeback stories for Nagasu or Flatt, even with younger talent coming up the ranks. Younger talent doesn't always work out. And the years of experience between these 2 ladies will only help them.

Flatt has peaked and isn't going to be a champion. If she ever does win Nats again then the US will have hit a all time low.

[judgejudy27]

Flatt has peaked and isn't going to be a champion. If she ever does win Nats again then the US will have hit a all time low.

A hypothetical future comeback success for Flatt would not be winning Nationals, but winning the pewter medal someday ala Zhang this year. Also like Zhang this year that would probably be the height of the comeback story, as it would likely be mid quad like this year before a new batch of juniors makes the push for the Olympics.

[minignome]

The decision for them to continue to skate should be made by them with input from their parents & coaches. Only they can decide if the joy they get from it is worth the sacrifices.

[Skittl1321]

I think they should retire only if they no longer enjoy skating. It seems to me that Rachael still loves to skate, even if many posters do not love watching her.

Mirai- I don't know. She got her first international medal this season, not really a retirement sign... But she also seems miserable out there.

I'd love for both of them to get back to their previous levels of success

[blue_idealist]

Rachael should retire and focus on school.

Mirai shouldn't retire because she has more talent and just needs to get her head together. Plus, she doesn't have a potential bio-engineering career in the making to attend to.

[PeterG]

It is vitally important than when one fails at something, they must quit immediately. Otherwise we would be surrounded by loosers. And who would want that?

Much love,

PeterG
Spelling Teacher

[Cheylana]

How dare you make such awful comments, PeterG? You must be the worst person in the world! Meanie!!!



Love,
An expert at detecting sarcasm

[victoriaheidi]

It is vitally important than when one fails at something, they must quit immediately. Otherwise we would be surrounded by loosers. And who would want that?

Much love,

PeterG
Spelling Teacher

I looooooooove this post. So, so much.

Sew I think we agree. Marai and Rachel shuld retier bcuz there scores at this years' Nashinals weren't real good.

[Vagabond]

Plus, she doesn't have a potential bio-engineering career in the making to attend to.

And how do you know that?

[skateboy]

Brian Boitano had no business coming back and trying for the Olys in '94. He didn't even win his own Nationals and kept a truly deserving skater from going to Lillehammer. And he didn't even make the podium! And who did Petrenko think he was trying for the same thing? And Katarina Witt? Let's face it, Kurt Browning peaked about a year before the '92 Olympics, there was no way he was going to do well. Why he bothered to stick around after that was ridiculous. I mean, yeah, he won '93 Worlds, but that was just a fluke, really. He just made a fool out of himself in '94. And can you believe that Elaine Zayak came back in '94, ten years after her last competition? OMG! How EMBARRASSING! Why did we have to be subjected to all these has-beens, past their prime??? How utterly PAINFUL to endure!!!

(I hope you all know that I'm obviously being sarcastic here.)

[victoriaheidi]

Brian Boitano had no business coming back and trying for the Olys in '94. He didn't even win his own Nationals and kept a truly deserving skater from going to Lillehammer. And he didn't even make the podium! And who did Petrenko think he was trying for the same thing? And Katarina Witt? Let's face it, Kurt Browning peaked about a year before the '92 Olympics, there was no way he was going to do well. Why he bothered to stick around after that was ridiculous. I mean, yeah, he won '93 Worlds, but that was just a fluke, really. He just made a fool out of himself in '94. And can you believe that Elaine Zayak came back in '94, ten years after her last competition? OMG! How EMBARRASSING! Why did we have to be subjected to all these has-beens, past their prime??? How utterly PAINFUL to endure!!!

(I hope you all know that I'm obviously being sarcastic here.)

I know you're being sarcastic, but for all the reasons you stated above, I wish my parents had taped the 94 Olympics. That's a tape I'd love to have now that I have a VCR.

[RD]

Well, either one should retire when they want to, not when fans or media tell them to.

That said, I definitely think Flatt has hit her peak and it's really downhill from here. If Flatt chooses to retire now, she can be satisfied with her effort at US Nationals...her final competitive performance was a strong and emotional one.

As for Nagasu, it really depends on her- whether she is willing to buckle down or whether she has lost all source of motivation. I don't think it's too late for her to turn things around if she wants to shoot for Sochi, but she better get cracking this summer as the clock is ticking.

[Sasha'sSpins]

I know you're being sarcastic, but for all the reasons you stated above, I wish my parents had taped the 94 Olympics. That's a tape I'd love to have now that I have a VCR.

I taped it but my VCR died on me and I haven't bothered to buy another one yet since I have a TV/DVD combo. Keep meaning to though. I want to see "Carmen on Ice" on television again rather than on youtube.