Nicole Bobek

[AxelAnnie]

Bobek had the loveliest spirals. To me, hers are still amongst the best ones. Back then, I once bought a photo online of her spiral and had it printed on a t-shirt. It's disappointing how dangerous her choices became. I'm glad she seems to have turned her life around for the better.

All there is to say, is, what a talent........and what a waste.

 

[Maximillian]

Ugh, I still think of what a fool I was thinking she had a chance for a medal in Nagano after Nationals 1998.

 

[Vagabond]

Ugh, I still think of what a fool I was thinking she had a chance for a medal in Nagano after Nationals 1998.

If I remember correctly, NBC said that eighteen women had a chance for the bronze medal. Bobek's catastrophic performances look inevitable only in retrospect.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

If I remember correctly, NBC said that eighteen women had a chance for the bronze medal. Bobek's catastrophic performances look inevitable only in retrospect.

18 women. Wow, I'm wondering who was on that list? Other than Nicole, the contenders I can think of are:

Maria Butyrskaja
Joanne Carter
Lu Chen
Kristina Czako
Vanessa Gusmeroli
Laetitia Hubert
Yulia Lavrenchuk
Elena Liashenko
Tatiana Malinina
Anna Rechnio
Irina Slutskaja
Elena Sokolova
Tanja Szewczenko

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

If I remember correctly, NBC said that eighteen women had a chance for the bronze medal. Bobek's catastrophic performances look inevitable only in retrospect.

I know, and just a few weeks before she was so good at nationals. I heard rumors that she was partying between nationals and the Olympics? Or not training like she should’ve been? I don’t know

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

Miss Bobek slacked on training once her Olympics ticket was punched. She then somewhat injured herself overtraining the week before the Olympics.

Tonia Kwiatkowski would have shown up to the Olympics prepared and produced genteel and polished programs,securing a top 6 finish.

Unfortunately,Miss Bobek has my vote for the skater with the most squandered natural talent. She could have been a star.

-BB

 

[Vash01]

18 women. Wow, I'm wondering who was on that list? Other than Nicole, the contenders I can think of are:

Maria Butyrskaja
Joanne Carter
Lu Chen
Kristina Czako
Vanessa Gusmeroli
Laetitia Hubert
Yulia Lavrenchuk
Elena Liashenko
Tatiana Malinina
Anna Rechnio
Irina Slutskaja
Elena Sokolova
Tanja Szewczenko

No way all these were bronze contenders. I would say 5-6, which is pretty normal. Butyrskaya, Chen Lu, Gusmeroli (remote), Slutskaya, Tania Szew, May be Sokolova.
Before the SP, Nicole had a reasonable chance of winning the bronze.

 

[Coco]

IIRC, Nicole was suck between Nationals and Olympics. Bronchitis? Something respiratory, if memory serves.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

No way all these were bronze contenders. I would say 5-6, which is pretty normal. Butyrskaya, Chen Lu, Gusmeroli (remote), Slutskaya, Tania Szew, May be Sokolova.
Before the SP, Nicole had a reasonable chance of winning the bronze.

Given @Vagabond's original post stated that NBC felt 18 skaters were potential bronze medal winners, I'm curious to know who was on their list if anyone can help.

 

[Vagabond]

Given @Vagabond's original post stated that NBC felt 18 skaters were potential bronze medal winners, I'm curious to know who was on their list if anyone can help.

I've been looking for NBC fluff pieces on Youtube since this thread started and haven't been able to find the one of which I am thinking.

In addition to the 14 names (including Bobek) that you listed, the following might have crossed the minds of people at NBC Sports:

Shizuka Arakawa
Surya Bonaly
Julia Lautowa
Júlia Sebestyén

?‍

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I've been looking for NBC fluff pieces on Youtube since this thread started and haven't been able to find the one of which I am thinking.

In addition to the 14 names (including Bobek) that you listed, the following might have crossed the minds of people at NBC Sports:

Shizuka Arakawa
Surya Bonaly
Julia Lautowa
Júlia Sebestyén

?‍

Shame on me. I'd completely forgotten about Surya. Too bad being injured, that Bonaly's glory days were behind her.

Oh boy, wasn't Shizuka one to watch for future reference.

I love that Julia Lautowa trains Lindsay Thorngren. I see so many of Julia's exciting qualities in her student.

 

[Lemonade20]

Bobek had so much talent, but her demons got in the way. I absolutely loved watching her skate.

 

[VGThuy]

I've been looking for NBC fluff pieces on Youtube since this thread started and haven't been able to find the one of which I am thinking.

In addition to the 14 names (including Bobek) that you listed, the following might have crossed the minds of people at NBC Sports:

Shizuka Arakawa
Surya Bonaly
Julia Lautowa
Júlia Sebestyén

?‍

That actually seems reasonable addition of names. Arakawa maybe not, but no harm in boosting up the profile of the home country girl. Bonaly was a wild card with a big name and a big resume while Lautowa was 8th at 1997 Worlds. Of course, Sebestyen only seems reasonable since I'm looking at her career as a whole as opposed to what she was going into Nagano as I don't remember what people thought about Sebestyen in Nagano, if they thought of her at all. I more remember her after Nagano, especially at 2000 Nice Worlds where it seemed Dick and co. really noticed her. I remember that gorgeous Lutz. She helped me differentiate the jumps as a novice skating fan..

 

[tony]

I don’t remember CBS (not NBC) saying 18 ladies had a chance, but I do remember the pre-competition articles at the time listing a huge handful of skaters as bronze medal contenders: Bobek, Butyrskaya, Szewczenko, Bonaly, Hubert, Gusmeroli, Chen, Slutskaya at a minimum and Czako was probably in there too— all relatively realistic, honestly. Sokolova I guess because she made the Champions Series Final that year.

Malinina was a big enough surprise being in the top 10- she definitely was not on any bronze medal list. Arakawa had accomplished nothing to that point, and Sebestyen the same. Rechnio had nothing to show since her top 10 in Lillehammer, Carter would’ve been a huge stretch too. I would be very surprised if they said 18 ladies were contenders. ?

 

[Vagabond]

Thanks for the correction as the network, Tony.

I'm pretty sure the number was 18 or close to it. It was a preposterous number, but not that preposterous if you were a network trying to boost interest in a Ladies Short Program that didn't have seedings.

Arakawa's performances in Nagano were not bad, and if she'd delivered her planned technical content, she might have been close to the podium. But that's not how things happened.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Bobek had so much talent, but her demons got in the way. I absolutely loved watching her skate.

I remember the first time I saw her skate live in Detroit at the 1994 US Championships. Her short program was jaw-dropping.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I don’t remember CBS (not NBC) saying 18 ladies had a chance, but I do remember the pre-competition articles at the time listing a huge handful of skaters as bronze medal contenders: Bobek, Butyrskaya, Szewczenko, Bonaly, Hubert, Gusmeroli, Chen, Slutskaya at a minimum and Czako was probably in there too— all relatively realistic, honestly. Sokolova I guess because she made the Champions Series Final that year.

Malinina was a big enough surprise being in the top 10- she definitely was not on any bronze medal list. Arakawa had accomplished nothing to that point, and Sebestyen the same. Rechnio had nothing to show since her top 10 in Lillehammer, Carter would’ve been a huge stretch too. I would be very surprised if they said 18 ladies were contenders. ?

Joanne was from memory, being groomed for future potential. Australia was really pushing her as a possible medalist, certainly with the 2000 World Championships being planned on home ice in Brisbane. Apparently at the 1998 World Championships, she landed a triple loop / triple loop in qualifying, and at the 1997 National Championships, she was attempting triple axels in practice.

Alas, injury took her out of competition for many years, and it took her a long time to get back onto the world team.

 

[SmallFairy]

One thing was having the technical potential/ability to medal. Many of these woman had, like Czako or Rechnio. Not Carter, though she skated with great energy. Another thing was to be in a position and having a reputation where the judges would actually give it to you. Most of these woman were not. Even if they skated lights out, it would never happen. No olympic bronze medal for Hungary or Poland. Sorry Tanja S. had momentum though. Had she skated her best, all clean, judges seemed ready to give it to her.

Saying that, I was thrilled the judges awarded Rechnio’s fab SP at Worlds a month later.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

One thing was having the technical potential/ability to medal. Many of these woman had, like Czako or Rechnio. Not Carter, though she skated with great energy. Another thing was to be in a position and having a reputation where the judges would actually give it to you. Most of these woman were not. Even if they skated lights out, it would never happen. No olympic bronze medal for Hungary or Poland. Sorry Tanja S. had momentum though. Had she skated her best, all clean, judges seemed ready to give it to her.

Saying that, I was thrilled the judges awarded Rechnio’s fab SP at Worlds a month later.

Wasn't that program something. Anna was on fire that day.

Anna Rechnio POL - 1998 World Championships SP

QB : 2nd, SP : 2nd, LP : 5th, 5th placeMarch 29th-5th April, Minneapolis, USA

www.youtube.com

 

[Lizziebeth]

Wasn't that program something. Anna was on fire that day.

Anna Rechnio POL - 1998 World Championships SP

QB : 2nd, SP : 2nd, LP : 5th, 5th placeMarch 29th-5th April, Minneapolis, USA

www.youtube.com

I saw that live, and it really was a moment!

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

1996 Nationals killed me. She looked "better" than October-Nov 1995, but I don't know what kind of performance she would have pulled off in the Long Program there had she skated it.

She likely would have skated like this:

Nicole Bobek (USA) - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program

St. Petersburg, RUSSIA - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program - Nicole Bobek of the United States

youtu.be

I believe this was February 1996,between Nationals and Worlds.

The USFSA would have eagerly sent any of Sydne Vogel or Karen Kwan or Amber Corwin to Worlds over Miss Bobek's sorry state at this point in time.

-BB

 

[Vagabond]

Nicole Bobek (USA) - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program

St. Petersburg, RUSSIA - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program - Nicole Bobek of the United States

youtu.be

Nicole Bobek doing a Kaori Sakamoto immitation when Kaori Sakamoto was just a gleam in her mother's eye.

 

[tony]

She likely would have skated like this:

Nicole Bobek (USA) - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program

St. Petersburg, RUSSIA - 1996 Centennial on Ice, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program - Nicole Bobek of the United States

youtu.be

I believe this was February 1996,between Nationals and Worlds.

The USFSA would have eagerly sent any of Sydne Vogel or Karen Kwan or Amber Corwin to Worlds over Miss Bobek's sorry state at this point in time.

-BB

I don't remember ever revisiting this program after the original airing, and I didn't recall anything about it. I don't think I even comprehended that Bobek was sent here after WD from Nationals. But wow. Completely wrong for her. Had one person in the USFSA committee changed their vote to send Bobek to Worlds, what a mess they would've likely been in, even if Lipinski's Worlds short wasn't much better.

This was one week before the very first Champions Series Final, where Kwan was the lone American qualified in the seven-woman field.

ETA- the big question for me was always how she would've done in a full healthy 1999 season. She was competing at any and every pro-am in the newly-transitioned ISU series of events in late 1998 and she was really starting to deliver solid programs by December. With the way Worlds panned out that year, who knows. She could've been a podium threat.

 

[alchemy void]

She could've been a podium threat.

Yes, just like she was a podium threat at the 1998 Olympics.

I love Nicole but I kind of doubt she could have significantly bettered Nikodinov's 12th place in 1999. She could have placed in the final group with a clean SP. The Zorro SP was the best thing she ever did, but a clean short program at a major event for Nicole is something we can't assume. And even with a clean SP, I think the technical mark would have been held back with a solo 3T and flutz deduction.

Unfortunately, her second attempt at an Evita LP was only slightly less deranged than the first. Everyone in the top 8 in 1999 landed at least 5 clean triple jumps in the long program, and lord honey I have serious doubts Nicole could have produced that kind of content.

 

[tony]

Yes, just like she was a podium threat at the 1998 Olympics.

I love Nicole but I kind of doubt she could have significantly bettered Nikodinov's 12th place in 1999. She could have placed in the final group with a clean SP. The Zorro SP was the best thing she ever did, but a clean short program at a major event for Nicole is something we definitely can't assume. And even with a clean SP, I think the technical mark would have been held back with a solo 3T and flutz deduction.

Unfortunately, her second attempt at an Evita LP was only slightly less deranged than the first. Everyone in the top 8 in 1999 landed at least 5 clean triple jumps in the long program, and lord honey I have serious doubts Nicole could have produced that kind of content.

Of course she was unpredictable, but where she was at the Grand Slam of Skating to start the season (should've finished last by miles there) and what she was doing by the time World Pros came around was a completely different skater- clean throughout both programs IIRC. She took the Butyrskaya route of competing at any and everything that year and I thought she was progressing nicely with each additional competition, although her Grand Prix performances were both duds (still good enough to beat Malinina, Liashenko, and Gusmeroli along the way).

Nikodinov was something like 16th after a bad QR and the SP at Worlds. Huge question mark indeed since Nicole was certainly capable of her own meltdown, but if she got through an 'okay' qualifying and a clean short, I think she's no lower than 4th going into the long with the same set of skates.. maybe even 3rd since Gusmeroli never really got much love and should've been ahead of Soldatova as it was. If they weren't hammering Soldatova for her 'flip' and underrotations, then I don't think they would've buried Nicole. Seeing how bad Volchkova was throughout that competition to finish 10th, I think an iffy Nicole is fighting for somewhere between 6-8 at worst. Well, unless Nagano Nicole showed up which was always a possibility.

I typically hate these 'well what if' scenarios, but I really had a good feeling about Nicole that year and thought the Zorro/Motown programs were amongst the best set of interpretive programs of all. Evita wasn't terrible in this go-around like in fall 1995, but yeah. She should've moved on from it. She stopped competing 15 years too early because I think she would've rocked programs with lyrics.

 

[Maximillian]

She stopped competing 15 years too early because I think she would've rocked programs with lyrics.

yeah but, IJS...

 

[Lemonade20]

yeah but, IJS...

Of the skaters that competed before IJS, who do you think would have done well?

 

[Maximillian]

Of the skaters that competed before IJS, who do you think would have done well?

If we're talking 'just' before IJS, I think Kwan would have been fine, I believe she cleaned up her flutz, no? (though, she did have this habit of 'empyting out' her freeskates of in-betweens as the season progressed from 2000-onward), as well as Bute and Slute if memory serves, their technique was pretty solid and their programs were pretty full. I just remember Bobek having egregious flaws on her lutz and flutz, but maybe I'm remembering wrong. I'd be the first person to want her to do well. I adored her skating, but boy did she break my heart...

 

[VGThuy]

I think the tech panel gave a bit of a grace period for URs and flutzes/lips until after the 2006-07 season. Then they really hammered them.

 

[Vagabond]

Of the skaters that competed before IJS, who do you think would have done well?

It's difficult to answer that because earlier skaters and coaches would have adjusted their training regimens accordingly, some with more success than others.

Skaters competing before 1990 who had good basics like Dorothy Hamill and John Curry wouldn't have had to focus on compulsory figures and might have done very well under IJS.