No part in the rules book says that Nationals is the deciding factor of who gets to go to the Olympics. It only decides who gets to go to the Worlds competition. Only the gold medalist of Nationals gets a secured spot to the Olympics. So I don't think it's an injustice that Michelle Kwan makes it to the Olympic team without competing at Nationals. We KNOW she's atleast a top 5 skater in the world. And having won Nationals and placing 4th last year, in my mind clearly qualifies her.

In fact, I wish swimming and speed skating looked at the overall sum of an athlete within recent years rather than their performance in one competition. I mean, we are talking about a game that comes only once every 4 years. There has to be a more secure way of determining who our best athletes are. Doesn't baseball and basketball do this as well? Anyway, the point is to rack up the medals.

[ January 16, 2006, 12:58 AM: Message edited by: savvy ]

Thanks Saavy, I wasn't aware of the Skating Assoc. rules. That does make a difference to me viv-a-vis competing at Nationals/selection for the Olympic team. Mike

MDG, I think they're both headed towards the Hair Club For Men endorsement route soon.

Final Results
:cool:
This is a really interesting report. Although MK has been named to the team, she has requested that a monitoring committee see a run through of her short and long programs on January 27th. If they are determined to be lacking in "technical elements necessary for an Olympic level performance" MK says she will withdraw from the team. They also listed the members of the committee that selected MK. It kinda surprised me that current skaters were on the committee such as Ryan Jahnke, Ryan O'Meara, and Scott Smith.

Thanks WhiteSoxFan for your Comments from the Nationals. I wanted to go to Worlds when they were in DC but it so expensivo.

Actually, I think it's great that current skaters were among the deciding factors in whether Michelle Kwan got a medical waiver and allowed to join the Olympic team. It's the whole theory of "judged by your peers." Only another competitive skater in current competitions can really see if a skater is up to par for the current level of skating.

I don't have any problems with Michelle competing. Like someone said in the US Figure Skating Association, it's a matter of coming up with the best team with the best chances of getting a medal. How can you say Michelle is out of the running despite a groin injury? It's not like hip surgery. Ben Agosto had a groin injury a few months ago but came back to skate beautiful this week. And I believe Michelle when she says that she would withdraw if she doesn't feel she's fit to compete. That's why the team always have alternates. And knowing Michelle's character, I know she's a woman of her words.

Good point batboy.
I too know that Michelle is a true competitor and sportswoman. I'm happy she'll be competing at the Olympics and I hope she wins her gold medal.

Canadian Nationals Update
Canadian Olympic Figure Skating Team Set
Men's Final Result
Jeffrey Buttle 266.90 points
Emanuel Sandhu 247.08
Shawn Sawyer

NBC Olympic Figure Skating Program Reminder
Type in your zip code and select your cable provider. Select Figure Skating and it will provide a tv schedule with local times and channels.

Breaking down the men's field
Plushenko's the clear favorite, but there are medal contenders aplenty
NBCOlympics.com sees seven men with the chance to win a medal -- or even the gold, if Plushenko were to self-destruct. A snapshot of the contenders:

THE WORLD CHAMPION: Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland.

THE WORLD SILVER MEDALIST: Jeffrey Buttle of Canada.

THE WILDCARD: Emanuel Sandhu of Canada.

THE FRENCHMAN: Brian Joubert of France.

THE AMERICAN CHAMPION: Johnny Weir of the U.S.

THE 'OTHER' TOP AMERICAN: Evan Lysacek of the U.S.

THE LATE BLOOMER: Daisuke Takahashi of Japan.
:confused:

[ February 13, 2006, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: simontexas ]

The Olympic gold medalists are skipping the world championships. The post-Olympic worlds are like the consolation prize because the bests 1-2 months before are absent.

Cohen has a good chance of winning. Arakawa is not there. Slutskaya probably not the last news I heard. Maybe another Japanese surprise win?

Plushenko has been clearly above the rest this season. His absence makes it more open for the title - Weir, Lambiel? Could Buttle or Sandhu get extra points from judges because of home ice?

I read that "Turin pairs champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin retired". The world title could go to one of the Chinese couples... which one!

Navka-Kostomarov not being there opens the door for the American ice dancers who become the favourite.

SPOILER.

Sasha had it handed to her on a platter and the platter fell!

A few years ago, I was in an AOL chat room (hey, no comments LOL) and different skaters were being talked about. Sasha Cohen came up, some guy chimed in, he supposedly had skated with her, or practiced with her. He was saying she's a spoiled brat, not many skaters liked her, she never tried as hard as she should have, and just a plain bitch. She had (maybe still does?) the nickname "Sucha Cunten" by those who didn't like her.

Again, stating this was heard in an AOL chat room, so take it for what's it's worth LOL

Sasha Cohen had an awful long program. She's lucky she can count on the components mark to hold her in the top spots (and that she was in first after the short). I would say bronze is a disappointment for her.

In contrast, Meissner gave a terrific performance. It's been a while... I think she did two triple- triple combinations.

With Joubert in the lead with one skater left, I was hoping Brian would win. I thought it would mark his comeback. He's been struggling for some time and winning would have made a perfect story. Joubert and Lambiel skated both very well. Joubert skated his old Matrix program. Both skaters executed two quads. Lambiel has better spins and artistry. The second mark probably put him first.
Weir wasn't good - caused by back injury ?

In ice dance, I predicted Belbin and Agosto would win gold after the silver Olympics. They settled for bronze. The Bulgarians (they are the ones with the same hairstyle!) won gold, so it was interesting to see a new country have success.

Pairs was a Chinese 1-2 podium with Petrova-Tikhonov in third, in what was likely the last competition as amateurs for the russian couple. Inoue Baldwin skated very well.