Fumie Suguri failed to qualify for Japanese Nationals again

[judgejudy27]

Tonia had a legitimate shot at making the '98 Olympic team, last time she competed at Nationals.

She did, and she wisely recognized it was then or never, that was her last chance, and instantly turned pro after the 1997-1998 season after a long and respectable amateur career, to cash in on her pro opportunities before it was too late. This is Tonia who for skating standards had stretched out her amateur skating career to the max as it was. Fumie who has had a far more successful career than Tonia has not had the same wisdom Tonia had about when to let go. Like Tonia in 1998, 2006 was Fumie's last chance to reach her major goals in the sport, and as it was she might have just missed (4th at the 06 Olympics, just off the podium, just missing the long awaited World gold). To stay for 1 more year to attempt to skate at Worlds at home in Japan was reasonable, but after that it has just gotten plain silly, and now post Vancouver it is now getting to the point it is borderline scary and one could even worry about her sanity at this point. If she were competing in adult competitions like Midori Ito that would be totally fine, but instead she not only competes at elite level competitions in Japan, a decade older than anyone else, but talks about wanting to go back to the Olympics when she cant even make it out of regional competition, do triples anymore, and is now getting 4s in components in regional competition, after reportedly already bankrupting her retired parents to keep doing this. Yikes! Sadly she has also missed the opportunity to have a nice professional career, something much lesser skaters like Jennifer Robinson have enjoyed, and help the financial burdens of her family.

[nylynnr]

Sadly she has also missed the opportunity to have a nice professional career, something much lesser skaters like Jennifer Robinson have enjoyed, and help the financial burdens of her family.

I agree that Fumie's desire to compete is quixotic, but this statement is heavy on the hyperbole. Fumie is a frequent participant in shows -- she is doing one in Italy tomorrow -- and I don't know that she is turning down offers to train for Japanese regionals. Judging from her schedule I think she is doing all the shows she can and entering the regional competitions on the side, regardless of what she may tell the press in her infrequent interviews. Just my two cents.

[kwanfan1818]

There's often a big difference between another language spoken and another language written.

[Alex Forrest]

[QUOTE=judgejudy27;3781321]To stay for 1 more year to attempt to skate at Worlds at home in Japan was reasonable, but after that it has just gotten plain silly, and now post Vancouver it is now getting to the point it is borderline scary and one could even worry about her sanity at this point. QUOTE]

I agree. Poor Fumie... But I should clarify, since Pete is taking it out of context. I mean GOOD FOR HER for doing what she wants. If she likes the personal challenge of elite, even though she is no longer competitive, then great. But her goal is THE OLYMPICS.

Does anyone remember that older skater in the 90s, I think it was Kathleen Kelly Cutone, who was again I think in Harvard Law but still competed at Nationals because she liked the challenge? I took my hat off to her, because she knew where she stood, but liked the personal competition against herself to make Nationals and do clean programs. But she never stated her goal was the Olympics, and she never was a former Nat champ and World medalist. In other words, KKC was grounded and not deluded. I support that. It just makes me feel queasy with Fumie. I don't see introspection or reality.

[Nomad]

Admins, could we please change the title of this thread to: "Fumie Suguri, the Norma Desmond of Figure Skating"? Thanks.

[all_empty]

I just saw a post below on her Twitter account.

Arrived Munich,waiting Adam

I do not think her English is good at all.
Good English speakers wouldn't make such silly mistakes like this.

I have spoken to Fumie several times and her English is better than your Japanese will ever be.

In addition to her years in Alaska, she is extremely well cultured and traveled thanks to 15+ years competing. She's worked with Russian, Japanese and North American coaches and choreographers.

She was tweeting, likely on a mobile device. She doesn't need to have perfect grammar.

While I think her best competitive days are behind her, she's not hurting anyone by still competing.

[tkaug]

I have spoken to Fumie several times and her English is better than your Japanese will ever be.

In addition to her years in Alaska, she is extremely well cultured and traveled thanks to 15+ years competing. She's worked with Russian, Japanese and North American coaches and choreographers.

She was tweeting, likely on a mobile device. She doesn't need to have perfect grammar.

While I think her best competitive days are behind her, she's not hurting anyone by still competing.

You say she is not hurting anyone by still competing?
How many times has she withdrawn competitions just a few days before so no other Japanese substitutes can compete? She also makes excuses for not winning, saying she had some injuries or an issue with her boots. That is not what senior skaters like her should do.

By the way, I am a native Japanese speaker and I hear and see her news at the first place.

She has also cancelled many ice shows in Japan so she totally deserves it that she is not invited to Ice shows in Japan anymore.

[DimaToe]

She also makes excuses for not winning, saying she had some injuries or an issue with her boots. That is not what senior skaters like her should do.

MANY elite level skaters give those reasons (injury/boot issues) when a competition doesn't go the way they want it to, whether it be true or not, I don't see why Fumie shouldn't be allowed to do the same

[VIETgrlTerifa]

tkaug, we get it. You hate Fumie Suguri or at least dislike so much that you want to spread bad gossip about her to damage her reputation.

[rayhaneh]

I just saw a post below on her Twitter account.

Arrived Munich,waiting Adam

I do not think her English is good at all.
Good English speakers wouldn't make such silly mistakes like this.

You forgot to mention she wrote the same thing word for word in Japanese, namely without the particles, which is strictly speaking grammatically incorrect as well

Maybe her Japanese isn't that good either

Or maybe we shouldn't judge her language ability based on tweets. Just saying.....And even if her English wasn't perfect, what's the problem?

Then again, I am sure you'll have more reasons why we should hate Fumie that you can generously share with us

[Vagabond]

I just saw a post below on her Twitter account.

Arrived Munich,waiting Adam

I do not think her English is good at all.
Good English speakers wouldn't make such silly mistakes like this.

You say she is not hurting anyone by still competing?
How many times has she withdrawn competitions just a few days before so no other Japanese substitutes can compete? She also makes excuses for not winning, saying she had some injuries or an issue with her boots. That is not what senior skaters like her should do.

By the way, I am a native Japanese speaker and I hear and see her news at the first place.

She has also cancelled many ice shows in Japan so she totally deserves it that she is not invited to Ice shows in Japan anymore.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

[Iceman]

Admins, could we please change the title of this thread to: "Fumie Suguri, the Norma Desmond of Figure Skating"? Thanks.

But, she is not ready for her close up yet.

[PeterG]

While I think her best competitive days are behind her, she's not hurting anyone by still competing.

Oh no...I am in much, much pain. As is Alex Forrest and judgejudy27 and some of my other close and personal friends in this thread. The burden we carry is so powerful, our shoulders are being crushed down through to our ankles. You unfeeling people have no idea how deep our pain is.

[Vagabond]

At least you have your friends with whom you can condole.

[Kasey]

I want to condole someone!!

[PeterG]

I want to condole someone!!

Alex or Judy, take your pick. I am simply beyond condolicizing...

[Aussie Willy]

Alex or Judy, take your pick. I am simply beyond condolicizing...

Is Condaleza Rice making a come back (figure skating that is)?

[Ziggy]

Is Condaleza Rice making a come back (figure skating that is)?

She's gonna skate pairs with Fumie Suguri, the many lesbian that she is.

[Katarzyna]

I really can’t understand why so many people criticize Fumie! If she wants to keep on competing – let her do so. I remember many people stating respect for Midori Ito showing up at the Adults competition in Oberstdorf. – Looks like she missed skating and competing very much, so she decided to compete again on a rather recreational level. If Fumie has the desire to keep on competing at elite level and it makes her happy, what’s wrong with it? Even if she pulls out at competitions last time, she is not the only skater to do so. There always have been nice competitors and nicer ones.

But then competitive behaviour of skaters is a different matter which has nothing to do with Fumie’s desire to keep on skating on elite level. By the way I remember that Sasha Cohen in her biographie told a very nice story about Fumie when competing at SLC OG in 2002 when Sasha forgot her tights and Fumie borrowed her tights to Sasha.

Apparently Fumie loves to skates. As long as she is happy with it and not dissatisfied with her current results – let her do so in piece as long as she doesn’t harm anyone with it. Personally she has my deep respect for still trying her best!

[tkaug]

I really can’t understand why so many people criticize Fumie! If she wants to keep on competing – let her do so. I remember many people stating respect for Midori Ito showing up at the Adults competition in Oberstdorf. – Looks like she missed skating and competing very much, so she decided to compete again on a rather recreational level. If Fumie has the desire to keep on competing at elite level and it makes her happy, what’s wrong with it? Even if she pulls out at competitions last time, she is not the only skater to do so. There always have been nice competitors and nicer ones.

But then competitive behaviour of skaters is a different matter which has nothing to do with Fumie’s desire to keep on skating on elite level. By the way I remember that Sasha Cohen in her biographie told a very nice story about Fumie when competing at SLC OG in 2002 when Sasha forgot her tights and Fumie borrowed her tights to Sasha.

Apparently Fumie loves to skates. As long as she is happy with it and not dissatisfied with her current results – let her do so in piece as long as she doesn’t harm anyone with it. Personally she has my deep respect for still trying her best!

I don't mind if she is really trying hard as she used to, but I often see her post notes on Twitter that sound like she's not practicing so much but just playing around. This is exactly why she never gets good results in competitions lately, not because of injuries or boot issue or anything else. She takes a lot of chances that many other young skaters need more than she does by still keeping competing like this. If she is not serious, she should just quit.