Who is the better skater: Kwan or Cohen?

[Karpenko]

I've been obsessed with chocolate covered almonds for like the past 20 years. I some times eat non-covered almonds pretending there's chocolate covering them when I get a hankering .

I almost got an almond tree this year at Lowes (actually it might've been a nursery, I've shopped at both places this year for gardening) because of the same reasons, and you can do so much with them when it comes to cooking/baking. But then I found out they get like 30+ feet tall, so I went with the dwarf plum tree instead.

If possible - to solve your dilemma I'd always keep some chocolate near my almonds, that way if you ever wanted chocolate at the same time they will already be there. Really it can even be something like chocolate chips, you don't necessarily need the fancy stuff to make the magic happen.

 

[bardtoob]

I almost started bringing up skating skills, but then I'm like why bother - I'd rather talk about almonds. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Almond joy has nuts (mounds don't)

Mmmm dark chocolate almond bark.

... Aren't you proud of me for not feeding the bear

 

[briancoogaert]

Mmmm dark chocolate almond bark.

... Aren't you proud of me for not feeding the bear

Proud, right !
I guess you would prefer being feeded with this dark chocolate with almonds ? So do I !

 

[alchemy void]

I wish they made Mounds with milk chocolate, rather than dark. Almond Joy is milk chocolate, but I don't particularly care for the almonds. Although considering my current state of fitness, perhaps it's for the best.

 

[Karpenko]

Almonds are probably a better option than the chocolate (if you have to choose between the two of them), but sometimes it's good to have a light meal in order to enjoy them both.

Almonds can also be used to make milk/butter, and its a nice alternative for a vegan diet.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Kwan was better. Sasha had some superior elements, although overall Kwan wins. I do prefer Sasha's style personally though.

Love this. Able to see the truth as a fan while holding on to your preference

 

[AJ Skatefan]

The dark chocolate almonds with salt from Trader Joe are to die for.

 

[VGThuy]

What kind of chocolate would Sasha and Michelle put on their almonds, if any?

 

[Sparks]

The dark chocolate almonds with salt from Trader Joe are to die for.

Yes please.

 

[DreamSkates]

I would say Cohen. She would have won the 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2010 Nationals had she skated cleanly, and would have more National titles than Michelle, and would have also won the 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2006 Olympics had she skated cleanly and have more World/Olympic titles than Michelle. Michelle's biggest strength is her beautiful positions and lines but Sasha has even more beautiful position and lines, neither have strong jumps, Sasha has way better spins, and Sasha has even better spirals. So other than better edges and speed which the judges dont even care about and reputation what are Michelle's advantage?

"would have" but didn't means not as good as

 

[Karpenko]

The dark chocolate almonds with salt from Trader Joe are to die for.

Yes please.

Noted and on the to-do list.

 

[Karpenko]

What kind of chocolate would Sasha and Michelle put on their almonds, if any?

They'd both probably be the Trader Joe's dark-chocolate with salt kind if they knew about them.

I think Michelle would be a gourmet almond, maybe with a jr mints coating, or something else crazy that we used to think of. Sasha would pick the prettiest one.

 

[shine]

I do think Kwan had better basics than Cohen. But calling her Patrick Chan of her era is such an overstatement. Her basic skating is so overrated here. She had precision in her stroking, yes, and smooth edges, but she didn't have enough power, speed, knee bend or glide (Slutskaya, for example, had much better glide). Her footwork was also pretty simple and lacked complex turns (but then so did most programs in that era), and her programs post-2000 lacked transitions. So no, she was no Patrick Chan.

 

[bardtoob]

https://youtu.be/cqeO-rMUwn8

 

[Jarrett]

How have junior mints not been brought up?

 

[VGThuy]

More Kwan programs please. The skating says more than words can ever do.

 

[giselle23]

I think Michelle has a dog. Does Sasha have any pets?

 

[Karpenko]

How have junior mints not been brought up?

They were.

Here is Michelle making a kraft salad, with a cute dancing dog:
https://youtu.be/8y0zcLeFLTs

 

[Fiero425]

I do think Kwan had better basics than Cohen. But calling her Patrick Chan of her era is such an overstatement. Her basic skating is so overrated here. She had precision in her stroking, yes, and smooth edges, but she didn't have enough power, speed, knee bend or glide (Slutskaya, for example, had much better glide). Her footwork was also pretty simple and lacked complex turns (but then so did most programs in that era), and her programs post-2000 lacked transitions. So no, she was no Patrick Chan.

Sasha was terrific and shouldn't be compared to someone like Irina with all her strength and body! Cohen had the body of an 8 year old, but got off the ice magnificently; probably overtraining causing future problems! She was a lot more lyrical and graceful than any others of that generation including MK! We have a few now that don't have to jump to beat the scrubs from the 80's and 90's!

 

[MAXSwagg]

I do think Kwan had better basics than Cohen. But calling her Patrick Chan of her era is such an overstatement. Her basic skating is so overrated here. She had precision in her stroking, yes, and smooth edges, but she didn't have enough power, speed, knee bend or glide (Slutskaya, for example, had much better glide). Her footwork was also pretty simple and lacked complex turns (but then so did most programs in that era), and her programs post-2000 lacked transitions. So no, she was no Patrick Chan.

SPOT ON!! I had to laugh when I saw that comparison.

 

[Simone411]

They'd both probably be the Trader Joe's dark-chocolate with salt kind if they knew about them.

I think Michelle would be a gourmet almond, maybe with a jr mints coating, or something else crazy that we used to think of. Sasha would pick the prettiest one.

You and I were practically thinking alike. My first thought was almonds with a Jr. Mint coating. Totally Michelle.

 

[Areski]

Michelle, but I loved both.

 

[Bellanca]

Sasha, all the way. She may not have the titles, the hardware, but her posture, lines, flexibility...

Dark chocolate (ok, sea salt, too) for Sasha! I cannot imagine her going for milk -- too boring, too vanilla -- and I would be shocked to learn if she liked candy corn or something scandalous like Necco's.

 

[giselle23]

I do think Kwan had better basics than Cohen. But calling her Patrick Chan of her era is such an overstatement. Her basic skating is so overrated here. She had precision in her stroking, yes, and smooth edges, but she didn't have enough power, speed, knee bend or glide (Slutskaya, for example, had much better glide). Her footwork was also pretty simple and lacked complex turns (but then so did most programs in that era), and her programs post-2000 lacked transitions. So no, she was no Patrick Chan.

Wait, I thought Patrick Chan was the Michelle Kwan of his era in terms of skating skills! Or at least I remember him saying he was inspired by her. (How did this dead thread turn into Michelle vs Patrick? Sorry for perpetuating it.)

 

[bardtoob]

From this Old Tread circa 2013 ... Calling Michelle Kwan "the Patrick Chan" of her era meant "Judges Pet" because Chan could fall and score well.

... which is nonsense because Michelle Kwan rarely fell.

 

[Fiero425]

From this Old Tread circa 2013 ... Calling Michelle Kwan "the Patrick Chan" of her era meant "Judges Pet" because Chan could fall and score well.

... which is nonsense because Michelle Kwan rarely fell.

She's taken her share of GOLD Medals on subpar performances; believe it!

 

[bardtoob]

She's taken her share of GOLD Medals on subpar performances; believe it!

I love me some Patrick Chan, but falling was his par back then.

 

[MAXSwagg]

To be fair to Patrick, he competed with content much, much, much more difficult than Michelle Kwan, so the falls are more understandable.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Hard to compare. Young female skaters are taught to look graceful, appear balletic. Sasha was balletic. The carriage, the attitude, the sharpness. No one taught her to act like this. I guess from her mother she understood it. So, she was doing something at a level no one had in the past - Kadavy being the closest. If the music called for a flash of brilliance she gave it; if the adagio required a stretch and languidness she showed it; she controlled that audience, they couldn't take their eyes off her. She was the ballerina prima donna. With that the elements had to be sandwiched in Cohen was doing something so much more difficult than anyone else. I think this led to the falls.

Kwan is truly an icon. 50 years from now in the into to the Olympic free skate there will be clips of Michelle and Lyra Angelica, Rach 2, etc. She's Peggy, the Protopopovs, Torvil & Dean. She will also be remembered as a fierce competitor coming back time after time in the long, stretching her winning career 10 years+. Her skating seems a logical extension of what came before and what came after. That part of it was wonderful not ground breaking.

So they are very different and so are their contributions.

 

[Fiero425]

I love me some Patrick Chan, but falling was his par back then.

Patrick thinks he can defy the laws of physics; esp. in his footwork, slicing and dicing the ice it's a wonder he doesn't fall more!