I was impressed by Nicole Bobek's command of the ice, speed, size of her jumps, presentation and musicality, relating so well to the audience.
Amber Glenn reminds me a lot of Nicole Bobek...presenting to crowd, musicality, emotionality. Glamorous presence. Natural talents. A certain edginess. Full of yet-unfulfilled potential...hopefully about to be fulfilled soon.
I was believing this but it seemed to be sacrilege to think anyone could best MK at her peak in 96-98 if she herself was clean ...Nicole's 1995 Worlds short program performance was my all time favorite performance of hers (closely followed by 1998 Nationals short program). She did have it all.
If she had kept it together she would destroy Michelle in the short, and probably stayed ahead in the free too with a 3/3 and 6 big triples vs Michelle's 7 smaller triples and smaller skating in general. If she had been a work horse, she probably could have gotten her technical issues fixed as well.
Because if Kwan can beat the likes of Irina with big jumps and fast skating and who arguably had better skating skills (or at least showed off her edges better than Bobek) for decade, and since Bobek was never able to beat Kwan again after 1995 Worlds (even when both went clean in the SP), and the fact that Irina and Tara needed two 3/3 combos or a 3/3 and a 3/1/3 combo to beat Kwan near her best (not even her best).... Kwan was just the entire package when she was in her prime and totally devoted her time to skating (which I think she was distracted going into 2002 and then was playing catch-up that whole 2002 season which led to her being stick thin, having the SLC Oly play with her head, not being at her tech. best, and never seemed to gel with her LP). I think she had that rare mastery of her edges without needing the super soft knees that many of the best Japanese skaters had.I was believing this but it seemed to be sacrilege to think anyone could best MK at her peak in 96-98 if she herself was clean ...
See Irina to me was choppy albeit more technically ambitious while Nicole had a smoother stroke and a lot more presentationBecause if Kwan can beat the likes of Irina with big jumps and fast skating and who arguably had better skating skills (or at least showed off her edges better than Bobek) for decade, and since Bobek was never able to beat Kwan again after 1995 Worlds (even when both went clean in the SP), and the fact that Irina and Tara needed two 3/3 combos or a 3/3 and a 3/1/3 combo to beat Kwan near her best (not even her best).... Kwan was just the entire package when she was in her prime and totally devoted her time to skating (which I think she was distracted going into 2002 and then was playing catch-up that whole 2002 season which led to her being stick thin, having the SLC Oly play with her head, not being at her tech. best, and never seemed to gel with her LP). I think she had that rare mastery of her edges without needing the super soft knees that many of the best Japanese skaters had.
That’s also very true as well.See Irina to me was choppy albeit more technically ambitious while Nicole had a smoother stroke and a lot more presentation
Back to my original post, I agree but think it would have taken a consistent, well-performed LP w/ the ambitious jump layout of her 95 Worlds program which included a 3Z-3T. Kwan and Lipinski were so strong in their own rite.I admit Nicole could have beat Kwan and Lipinski if she had been a consistent performer.
That is quite the leap from "consistent ambitious programmes" to a stellar 17th placement at the Olympics. Other talented American ladies of that era,like Amber Corwin and Brittney McConn,would have killed to receive even a fraction of the plethora of chances Miss Bobek was repeatedly gifted by the USFSA.I agree but think it would have taken a consistent, well-performed LP w/ the ambitious jump layout of her 95 Worlds program which included a 3Z-3T. Kwan and Lipinski were so strong in their own rite.
No Stacey Pensgen?!?! Sydne Vogel??? Who is Brittney McConn??!!That is quite the leap from "consistent ambitious programmes" to a stellar 17th placement at the Olympics. Other talented American ladies of that era,like Amber Corwin and Brittney McConn,would have killed to receive even a fraction of the plethora of chances Miss Bobek was repeatedly gifted by the USFSA.
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Brittney McConn 1998 U.S. Nationals Free SkateWho is Brittney McConn??!!
Brittney Bottoms. Brenda Bottems.Brittney Anne McConn Bottoms (born June 17, 1980)[1] is an American former competitive figure skater. She placed fourth at the 1998 World Junior Championships[2] and won the Nebelhorn Trophy later that year. Her highest senior-level placement at the U.S. Championships was seventh, which she achieved three times. McConn retired from competition in 2001. She became a member of U.S. Figure Skating's International Committee.
Thanks for the links. I had not heard of her.....what a pleasure to watch.That is quite the leap from "consistent ambitious programmes" to a stellar 17th placement at the Olympics. Other talented American ladies of that era,like Amber Corwin and Brittney McConn,would have killed to receive even a fraction of the plethora of chances Miss Bobek was repeatedly gifted by the USFSA.
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I am not Mrs. Bottoms (McConn). However,I am flattered to be confused yet again with a 40 year old.Sheer coincidence, intentional red herring, or has someone blown her cover?
I am not Mrs. Bottoms (McConn). However,I am flattered to be confused yet again with a 40 year old.
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Welll...Michelle technically was a 9th grader the year of her transformation...so...it’s not so strange that as a 7th/8th grader she also skated like one.Nicole, at her best, was the definition of ladies' skating. She was strong and powerful, yet elegant and sophisticated at the same time. Prior to Kwan's transformation in the fall of 1995, Michelle looked like an elementary school girl by comparison.
Therein lies the dichotomy of skating at the senior level.Welll...Michelle technically was a 9th grader the year of her transformation...so...it’s not so strange that as a 7th/8th grader she also skated like one.
After a couple of good summer competitions, Bobek had a disastrous fall, landing nothing harder than toe or salchow (and sometimes not even that). She then came under heavy criticism (including from many in the USFS) by skating in the Nutcracker tour over Christmas instead of training for Nationals. The pre-Nationals coaching change didn't do her favors either. She went into Nationals with a lot of people seriously fed up and rooting against her.
If there was any outrage about her not receiving a bye (I wasn't online until the following years), her disastrous performance at Centennial on Ice - where she fell on all three jumps in the short program, doubled everything in the free skate, and finished last in both segments - quieted any second-guessing. Those performances would have had her last at Worlds, without a doubt.
I do think Bobek at her best would have been a multiple-time World medalist / champion. Her technique wasn't bad by 90s standards and wasn't a barrier when she was actually in shape, which was rare. She unfortunately crash dieted very often and spoke about being bulimic in the period leading up to 1998 U.S. Nationals. She was on fire in those practices, landing 3Lz3T, 3F3T, and 3T3T plus 2A2A sequence. Her actual competitive performances, as good as they were, were a let-down compared to the firepower she was showing in practice. The program itself, as originally choreographed by Robin Cousins, was not bad, but had become unrecognizable to the point that he was distancing himself from it.
Well, I remember there was talk during Nationals that while she was doing all those 3/3s in practice that she injured herself and hence had to scale down her FS. She was already on the can of Campbell's Soup and Kwiatkowski was likely to bomb anyway (which of course she did...) so Bobek was pretty much guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team. Her injury worsened afterwards and there was talk to CHJ of Kwiatkowski being ready to go if called as 1st alternate. Anyway, Bobek showed up for opening ceremonies, had a blast in many dorm rooms of other athletes, practiced like crap, skated like crap, but heck, she is an OLYMPIAN for life.Didn't Nicole have an injury she was dealing with in Nagano, as well? Christa Fassi didn't seem very surprised by her disastrous SP showing there. She had a look like "well, it is what it is. Nothing we could have done about it."
She could have been overwhelmed, it's a lot of pressure.Interesting info about 1998 Nationals practices and injuring herself - and then not getting better before Nagano.
As for 9/22/1995-10/17/1995 ... sure, she could have slacked off in her training. But who slacks off in their training/habits RIGHT before the new season and testing out new programs? I still find that period of time so, so odd.