Life After the Games for Five Former Olympians: Features Lipinski, Hughes, Cohen

[skatesindreams]

About Tim Goebel:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

[rhumba]

About Tim Goebel:
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

Thanks, perfect timing! I recalled seeing him in one of skating event few years ago. Good for him that he graduted and got a real job and still somewhat involved with skating.

[Cheylana]

Tara, Sasha and Sarah look great!

Sarah has been working on a book about the OLY gold medalists from the US.

Hmm, that could be really interesting. Good for her.

[Lacey]

Congratulations to Tim on having a real job, I seem to remember that he is really bright. And Sasha is as busy as she can be with SOI and college. Good for them.

[barbk]

I thought this response from Tim was too funny (and spot on):

Icenetwork.com: As a Columbia student, you took Literature Humanities as part of the Core Curriculum. What was your favorite book?

Goebel: Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky. I've probably read the book six times now. Some of the other stuff that we were forced to read was so painful. I particularly hated [Woolf's] To the Lighthouse. Painful beyond words.

[Jaana]

A nice article that talks about how five former winter Olympians . . . Cohen, Lipinski, Hughes, and speedskater Joey Cheek and skiier Jeremy Bloom . . . are all getting together every month.

I wonder why Cohen, Lipinski and Hughes are called Olympians? Isn´t an Olympian just anybody (e.g. those who did not make the freeskate) who competed at the Olympics? These three skaters are much more than Olympians, they are Olympic medalists.

[Zemgirl]

I wonder why Cohen, Lipinski and Hughes are called Olympians? Isn´t an Olympian just anybody (e.g. those who did not make the freeskate) who competed at the Olympics? These three skaters are much more than Olympians, they are Olympic medalists.

Are you suggesting that Olympic medalists should be considered "much more" than ordinary Olympians? Because a lot of athletes go to the Olympics knowing they won't medal, and I don't think it makes their efforts and performances somehow less worthwhile.

Anyway, the article is about five Olympians, one of whom is not an Olympic medalist. Therefore, it makes more sense to refer to them as Olympians.

[skatesindreams]

It's difficult enough to become an Olympian.
Must we stratify them; as if they aren't worthy of mention unless they win a medal - or as if mentioning the medal in every reference makes them more worthy of our attention?

[aftershocks]

Hey, and what about all those very talented athletes who are simply unlucky enough never to make the Olympics for reasons having nothing to do with the level of their talent? Doesn't make them more or less better or lesser than the 'luckier' Olympians or even 'luckier' Olympic medalists.

Anyways, I more admire those Olympians who realize that participating at the Olympics or medaling, or bringing home the highest of all, OGM, does not make them more special or somehow above all other gold medal-less human beings. Perhaps as Tara grew up and received some hard knocks in life she maybe gained that greater understanding which I don't think she had during her screeching days as a 15-year-old, unsurprisingly.

Great that these former 'Olympians' seem to have gained some understanding re the importance of building a life after the Olympics and giving back.

[shine]

Um, did I read it right that the article says Cohen is studying Financial Economics? As in quantitative financial economics?

[brightphoton]

^ Haha, I guess she gave up her acting ambitions. Sasha's a smart cookie - she knows where the big money is.

[Simone411]

Some people will not be satisfied, whatever these Olympians choose to do with their lives.

Yes, exactly.

Thanks for sharing the article. I'm glad Sasha is continuing her education. No one is ever too old to learn or continue his/her education.

[leafygreens]

I would like to join their little club, but Joey says it's only for Olympians...

[Skittl1321]

I wonder why Cohen, Lipinski and Hughes are called Olympians? Isn´t an Olympian just anybody (e.g. those who did not make the freeskate) who competed at the Olympics? These three skaters are much more than Olympians, they are Olympic medalists.

I wonder why you would call Lipinski and Hughes just Olympic medalists. I mean, isn't that anyone who earned a medal at the Olympics? These two skaters are much more than Olympic medalists. They are Olympic Gold medalists!

[Prancer]

Tara Lipinski is 30.

[Willowway]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaana
I wonder why Cohen, Lipinski and Hughes are called Olympians? Isn´t an Olympian just anybody (e.g. those who did not make the freeskate) who competed at the Olympics? These three skaters are much more than Olympians, they are Olympic medalists.

Posted by Skittl1321

I wonder why you would call Lipinski and Hughes just Olympic medalists. I mean, isn't that anyone who earned a medal at the Olympics? These two skaters are much more than Olympic medalists. They are Olympic Gold medalists!

Jeepers, this is a tough crowd. I think that all that Jaana was doing was asking why these women were not given credit in the article for their medals. That's all, and it comes from a place (skating fandom) where medals are almost always mentioned (and it had better be accurate or there's a lot of push-back). Then people started jumping all over her comment - in football speak "unnecessary roughness".

Of course there is a reason that medals weren't mentioned - one of the participants was not a medalist (perfectly ok - no one said it wasn't) and the writer went with a categorization, Olympians, that was inclusive of the five of them. The fact that one of the guys was not a medal winner isn't a fact that might click in immediately to a skating fan - that's understandable.

One question though and I'm not picking at Jaana but want to understand if I have something wrong (I think I must). I thought that at O's the members of the country all skate for medals - in other words, I didn't think the O's included an elimination (or preliminary) round. Am I wrong about that? Have I been wrong for [too many to mention] years? I always thought that there were no preliminary eliminations at the Olympics.

[AndyWarhol]

I wish Cohen would stop whinging about not going to prom. I remember when she was 17 all this talk about her graduating, and then concentrating on skating. She went to her junior prom anyway, so its not like she is completely hard done by.

rah rah rah.

[antmanb]

One question though and I'm not picking at Jaana but want to understand if I have something wrong (I think I must). I thought that at O's the members of the country all skate for medals - in other words, I didn't think the O's included an elimination (or preliminary) round. Am I wrong about that? Have I been wrong for [too many to mention] years? I always thought that there were no preliminary eliminations at the Olympics.

I don't know for sure but isn't there still a cut from the SP to the LP at Olympics?

[Zemgirl]

I don't know for sure but isn't there still a cut from the SP to the LP at Olympics?

In Vancouver, the top 24 went through in the men's and ladies events. The dance and pairs fields were smaller and there was no cut after the SP - but I think there will be one In Sochi.

[UGG]

I wish Cohen would stop whinging about not going to prom. I remember when she was 17 all this talk about her graduating, and then concentrating on skating. She went to her junior prom anyway, so its not like she is completely hard done by.

rah rah rah.

I know I mean seriously-She went to the Olympics. I would rather be an Olympian than go to the prom with some pimply 17 year old who probably would dance really awkward and try and get in my pants at the hotel party after. I hope that maybe the writer was referring to an old quote, and that she is still not talking about it at 28 LOL!