Fumie Suguri failed to qualify for Japanese Nationals again

[Marco]

I feel sorry for Fumie. It's hard to say goodbye and she seems to be having a very hard time of it.

Actually it is the second year we are having this thread. I have no doubt we will have a third thread next year...

[tkaug]

She had another national competition during this weekend.
They only performed the free skatings and she got 5th with 64.65 points(TES 27.33, PCS 38.32).
She received the highest PCS with the only 5's SS in this event, but not enough for her to win.

http://www.jsfresults.com/National/2...tionalqualify/

[Iceman]

She will be 32 December 31. Happy Birthday!!!!. I have no idea what she is thinking or how she sees things, but I can't help but be concerned that she is suffering from some kind of illness. There is such a disconnect with reality.

[alchemy void]

She will be 32 December 31. Happy Birthday!!!!. I have no idea what she is thinking or how she sees things, but I can't help but be concerned that she is suffering from some kind of illness. There is such a disconnect with reality.

Happy birthday, I think you may be mentally ill, but happy birthday, girl!!

[PeterG]

This "kick 'em when they're down!!!" game is FUN! Luckily for us we all own steel-toed boots. Otherwise there'd be quite the crowd at the Emergency Room!



/drippingsarcasm

[Really]

Maybe she just likes to skate and compete. Who are we to tell any skater when they have to stop taking a shot at it?

[JeffClair1979]

This "kick 'em when they're down!!!" game is FUN! Luckily for us we all own steel-toed boots. Otherwise there'd be quite the crowd at the Emergency Room!



/drippingsarcasm

I'm with you, PeterG.

Plus, I bet she's skating better than any of the haters who are posting vitriol on here are. For that, I say GO FUMIE

[jlai]

Just out of curiosity, is she both coaching and competing or just skating? I can see some coaches still competing to some extent (like Wesley Campbell this year, Jason Wong a few years ago)

[Alex Forrest]

Poor poor Fumie. I used to laugh at her skating. Didn't she attempt a forward inside layback?!?!?!? It was as ugly as it sounds. She'd have the worst choreo (to Lori NICHOL!!!), like even Lori couldn't work her magic on poor old Fumie. But she had amazing bows. I remember a Japanese broadcast where the announcers were saying you can tell she is an artist by her dramatic bows. COUGH. Unfortunately if she put half into her choreography during the program than she did during her bows, maybe her Swan Lake would have read. So I'd always joke with friends about Fumie that she sucks but she gives SERIOUS BOW. She's got the eyebrow lift, that look of 'suffering for my artistry' when she's bowing after a two triple performance. Not a fan, never was. She could never even straighten her knee let alone her ankle. She flutzed, she had almost zero flexibility. Come on. I'm not trying to be critical, but let's get real with her.

[michiruwater]

If that's you not trying to be critical, I'd hate to see what you're like when you are...

[Wyliefan]

As long as "poor Fumie" loves what she does, I don't think she's poor at all. Certainly not as poor as those who get their jollies from sneering at others.

[judgejudy27]

Poor poor Fumie. I used to laugh at her skating. Didn't she attempt a forward inside layback?!?!?!? It was as ugly as it sounds. She'd have the worst choreo (to Lori NICHOL!!!), like even Lori couldn't work her magic on poor old Fumie. But she had amazing bows. I remember a Japanese broadcast where the announcers were saying you can tell she is an artist by her dramatic bows. COUGH. Unfortunately if she put half into her choreography during the program than she did during her bows, maybe her Swan Lake would have read. So I'd always joke with friends about Fumie that she sucks but she has SERIOUS BOW. She's has the eyebrow lift, that look of 'artistry' when she's bowing after a two triple performance. Not a fan, never was. She could never even straighten her knee let alone her ankle. She flutzed, she had almost zero flexibility. Come on. I'm not trying to be critical, but let's get real with her.

That is why I admire her though. Her skating was full of flaws, and while she had some things she was very good at, she didnt stand out from the rest even in any of her strengths. She also skated in a tough era with Kwan, Cohen, Slutskaya, Hughes, Arakawa, all peaking in her best years. She had something like a 0-20 head to head with Michelle Kwan. Yet despite all that mostly through massive determination and consistency she managed 3 World medals, a Grand Prix final title, and two top 5 Olympic finishes. Given her marginal talent level (for the very elite standard) that is really quite amazing, and I for one always admire overachievers like Suguri, Maria Butyrakaya, Sarah Hughes, Jennifer Robinson, Elena Liashenko, most of all much of the time.

Alas her determation which led her to her fine overachieving career, is now leading her down an increasingly turbulent and now borderline self sabatoging path. It is one thing to skate for the love of it, but to be a regional level skater at this point and be talking about the Olympics, and talks a few years ago she had bankrupted her dad to keep skating, and passed up on a potentially fine and lucrative show career just for this........It is sad to be honest, no other way to look at it.

[PeterG]

Poor poor Fumie. I used to laugh at her skating. Didn't she attempt a forward inside layback?!?!?!? It was as ugly as it sounds. She'd have the worst choreo (to Lori NICHOL!!!), like even Lori couldn't work her magic on poor old Fumie. But she had amazing bows. I remember a Japanese broadcast where the announcers were saying you can tell she is an artist by her dramatic bows. COUGH. Unfortunately if she put half into her choreography during the program than she did during her bows, maybe her Swan Lake would have read. So I'd always joke with friends about Fumie that she sucks but she has SERIOUS BOW. She's has the eyebrow lift, that look of 'artistry' when she's bowing after a two triple performance. Not a fan, never was. She could never even straighten her knee let alone her ankle. She flutzed, she had almost zero flexibility. Come on. I'm not trying to be critical, but let's get real with her.

The dishing it out part you certainly can do.

[Marco]

Didn't she attempt a forward inside layback?!?!?!? It was as ugly as it sounds.

Yes, it was during one of those seasons in which she attempted a back layback (spinning on the other foot). And just for your information, Suzuki and Takahashi have also attempted layback with a change of edge (forward outside layback). It's one of the only ways one can achieve a level 4 layback without the Biellmann.

She'd have the worst choreo (to Lori NICHOL!!!), like even Lori couldn't work her magic on poor old Fumie.

Some of her earlier programs were wonderful. Her Moonlight Sonata and Carmen Suite were stunning.

She could never even straighten her knee let alone her ankle. She flutzed, she had almost zero flexibility.

All true. But she was never supposed to be a Cohen. Just like you wouldn't pick on Yoshie Onda's foot position. She was always going to be half Kwan and half Slutskaya. This was how she rose to the podium. She couldn't out-Kwan Kwan and couldn't out-Skutskaya Skutslaya, so she out-Slutskaya-ed Kwan with her spins and out-Kwan-ed Slutskaya with presentation.

[judgejudy27]

She was always going to be half Kwan and half Slutskaya. This was how she rose to the podium. She couldn't out-Kwan Kwan and couldn't out-Skutskaya Skutslaya, so she out-Slutskaya-ed Kwan with her spins and out-Kwan-ed Slutskaya with presentation.

Well she obviously wasnt that successful doing this. She never once beat Kwan, and the only time she beat Slutskaya was the 04 Worlds when she was 7th and a very ill Slutskaya was 8th if that even counts as anything. Arakawa is a better example of someone who was successful doing that, hence why she beat Slutskaya, Kwan, and Cohen to win major titles, something Fumie could never do.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Suguri may not have been able to beat Kwan or Slutskaya (other than 2004), but she has beaten Cohen and Arakawa numerous times who in turn have beaten Kwan and Slutskaya.

[rayhaneh]

This "kick 'em when they're down!!!" game is FUN! Luckily for us we all own steel-toed boots. Otherwise there'd be quite the crowd at the Emergency Room!



/drippingsarcasm

Can I use my steel-enhanced stilettos heels too?

Maybe she just likes to skate and compete. Who are we to tell any skater when they have to stop taking a shot at it?

You killjoy!

Really, how about letting people have their fun? Even if that means going all judgmental and insulting for no good reason

Somehow, going through this thread feels a bit like I imagine watching a person executed by guillotine must have been, with the little old ladies sitting all day nearby gossiping and enjoying the blood all while continuing their knitting.....

[judgejudy27]

Suguri may not have been able to beat Kwan or Slutskaya (other than 2004), but she has beaten Cohen and Arakawa numerous times who in turn have beaten Kwan and Slutskaya.

Well everyone has beaten Arakawa. Jenny Kirk has a winning career head to head with Arakawa I believe. She was a journeywomen most of her career, but she still has those 2 big titles.

[kwanfan1818]

Arakawa was a full-time student at a tough private university for much of her later skating career, and, like Sebestyen, was rarely given credit for the quality and power of her jumps.

She came through when Kwan, Cohen, and Slutskaya faltered. There was no less pressure on her in Torino; she was in a virtual tie with Cohen and Slutskaya after the SP, and Japan had yet to win a medal; it was all on her shoulders. ruled!

[Marco]

Suguri may not have been able to beat Kwan or Slutskaya (other than 2004), but she has beaten Cohen and Arakawa numerous times who in turn have beaten Kwan and Slutskaya.

I wasn't saying Suguri was on par with Kwan and Slutskaya. Far from it. I was saying that's how she made herself competitive. She had a bit of Kwan and Slutskaya in her - and that was enough to win her medals at Worlds and win a couple of 4CC titles and GPF (once). Domestically she was more graceful than the likes of Onda and Ando but was more reliable than the likes of Ota. Let's face it. Making it out of Japan was hard enough.