(not questioning your right to think the way you do).. but do you really think it is acceptable for one country's sports Federation to bluntly try to steal (with money offers) athletes from another Federation?Caroline Zhang for Beijing 2022
Is it too much to dream for them to approach Wagner?
I think pairs and dance are quite different from singles. You talk about someone wanting an easier path, but the other side is that skaters from small skating countries often have a very hard time finding a suitable partner. Would Harley Windsor have been able to find a girl as good as Katia who's from Australia?
In my opinion the circumstances are different. One is Chinese Federation waving the dollars to Chinese-American girls with message “drop your country, we’ll pay you”. The other is Katya’s situation: she tried singles and it did not work out. she tried pairs in Russia – it did not work out. She tried pairs in Ukraine – it did not work out. She returned to Russia – it did not work out AND! there was a tragedy in her family, father died. Russian coaches (fr Australia) Pachins, asked Mozer if she can spare a girl for Pachins’ boy. Mozer kindly gave to them Katya, who now had a new opportunity and a positive “change of scenery”.
and . This isn’t anything new really. Just ask Azerbaijan or Israel, even Russia comes to mind with Vic Wild and Victor Ahn for 2014 (I know in that case Wild and Ahn were “neglected” by their federations) but the pint stands that skating federations trying to “poach” skaters from elsewhere is nothing new.
as you said, there is a diff. between "poaching" and athletes seeking alternatives when not wanted in their own country.You obviously missed the point of the
Good point, but there’s also the point that skaters aren’t the property of the skating federations they represent. If some skaters find more support or a way to be more successful with another federation then so be it.
- something can be legal, but not ethical.
Skaters are human, not machines. They might need a hug now and then.
I remain highly skeptical that Phil Hersh has toned down his brash commentary due to a handful of fans over on a skating forum. PH pretty much writes whatever his observations are at the time, whether it be scorched-earth rhetoric or tame/neutral comments. I do not think he is too influenced by a forum and its posters, imo. And, since you apparently continue to feel so strongly about it, maybe you should email Phil Hersh, directly, and take up the issue with him … not me.Exactly. Reminds me of when Phil Hersh excoriated Karen a few seasons ago about her boot problems, and took insulting cheap shots at Mariah Bell and Jason Brown. Some fans on FSU took Hersh to task for his brash commentary, which has apparently led to him being more careful subsequently in how he writes about skaters.
There’s nothing I can do about it. 
I remain highly skeptical that Phil Hersh has toned down his brash commentary due to a handful of fans over on a skating forum. PH pretty much writes whatever his observations are at the time, whether it be scorched-earth rhetoric or tame/neutral comments. I do not think he is too influenced by a forum and its posters, imo. And, since you apparently continue to feel so strongly about it, maybe you should email Phil Hersh, directly, and take up the issue with him … not me.
To be fair, you would also have to include and take “to task” several of your own fellow FSU fans and posters along with Phil Hersh and Co. for their own insulting cheap shots toward Karen, Mariah, and Jason, etc. throughout the years. It quickly becomes a double standard.
It boils down to people making comments, and why one group should get a pass to engage in unflattering exchanges and browbeating behavior, but not another…
Is it assumed that those who are considered professionals and making money via their commentary and/or blogs are demanded or expected to remain above the fray? Yet, at the same time, excusing and giving a pass to a bunch of anonymous posters on a forum who can engage in tarring and feathering all day long, if they choose, without any consequences? And that is somehow acceptable? That’s quite a (convoluted) stretch that fans can be ticked off at a journalist whenever they desire for engaging in insulting, provocative, taunting behavior or saying something controversial, but then turn right around and do it themselves. This behavior is often referred to as hypocritical, self-righteous indignation.
Do you really think it is less painful for a skater to read critical, scathing comments or posts about themselves on a forum by a bunch of armchair critics they, most likely, don’t know as opposed to reading it from a sports journalist’s commentary or blog? It can be one and the same.
A very successful, retired, competitive figure skater, who is a friend, once remarked to me regarding fans: “If the fans are going to criticize someone else for trash talking, they should start with themselves, first … pot, kettle.”
TBH, I think that disparaging, hurtful comments from the fan base can affect athletes more than something a sports journalist or known blogger may write because the athletes are somewhat conditioned to expect negative press at some point during their competitive careers, but B.S. from a fan can sting and leave a lasting mark.
But that's his writing style.
Not in the least, but I appreciate your attempts to deflect.Whoa! Hit a nerve did I?
Could've fooled me... 
Whoa! I'm still hitting a nerve, am I?
Is that what you would call it, a dialogue? 
Okay.... 
that you've held onto all of that these many months.
There was good reason for this thread being in the Trash Can in the past, there sure is a lot of passion (myself included) from posters when it comes to the U.S. women.
Oh heck, the U.S. women have nothing over the U.S. men!
When posters get going on that one, it's... 
bedlam!
Not in the least, but I appreciate your attempts to deflect.
Whoa! I'm still hitting a nerve, am I?
Interesting and somewhat disturbing
Many figure skating fans do tend to have exacting memories, uh but, maybe you reserve yours for more important trivialities, eh. As far as I know she didn’t get any big exceptions to become citizen. She won it under distinguished talent visa, many others have won PR under that visa and later citizenship.There is a lot that depends on the potential of the individual and she showed potential to win future world and olympic medals. Also, Australia needs to be flexible about staying in the country since staying in the country would mean she will miss quality training, which in turn would affect the results. I do not see any problem with what Happened with Aleksandroskaya case, Aussie rules were flexible to begin with and she used it get citizenship.
I must have read that wrong. I read it as if China was wanting the IOC to change their policies. But I do wonder what will happen if they get dual citizenship for the Olympics. Would it be a lifetime exception for Olympians or would they have to choose which country to be a citizen of after the Olympics are over? Either way it seems rather unfair to countries that keep its citizenship requirements rigid even for Olympians.
How? The IOC has nothing to do with citizenship requirements by country, so it's entirely the country's decision. They set their own rules and could make it less strict for Olympians if they chose to.
Apparently you've never read any threads about Ashley Wagner or a wide array of other U.S. ladies who practically get criticized for waking up in the morning.
Apparently, you've resorted to cherry-picking through my posts because I am well aware of how verbally kicked around Ashley, Gracie, Courtney (to name a few) have been, believe me. Karen is just the latest piñata.
